Born As The Emperor’s Daughter - Chapter 196 Flower Of The Night 1

“That girl is a witch.”

“Why else would their bloodline have a female when they usually have males?”

“She’s probably adopted.”

“That’s impossible, she has the physical traits a pure-blooded Everly would have. Even when you use magic to alter your appearance, your eyes would look plain and hers looked gems or crystals. Aside from that, dying your hair with that color would be expensive.”

“Maybe a relative?”

“The previous 2 emperors and the current emperor, his highness, didn’t have any siblings. It’s impossible that a child like her would be a relative.”

“Besides, it was announced that she was his daughter which they kept hidden for years.”

“She was probably the reason why the empress, her highness died.”

Murmurs and whispers filled the whole room and that was the only thing that she can hear as she danced with her father. It was deafening, it kept on pounding against her ears, it feels like she badly wants to gauge her ear out because of it. Their whispers and murmurs were loud, their words felt like swords stabbing on her chest and she couldn’t help but lower her head as she danced with her father.

And she made a small mistake which was actually pretty grave and embarrassing.

She stepped on her father’s foot.

And tripped.

Crap.

She heard laughter erupt from people’s chests and burst out of their mouths like a volcano having its first eruption which was loud. They pointed at her as they were laughing while some snickered, her father could only avert his eyes in disappointment and her eye’s widened. She looked around and she saw her brothers, giving them a look that is asking for help but they just let out a sigh, and Christian stared at her before he averted his gaze. A hurt look etched on his face.

We’re siblings, right? We should help each other.

She felt her chest tightens and her surroundings became dim, the atmosphere was tenser than before and it made her stiff. She cant move, she can’t breathe, she can’t speak, as if somebody was restricting her to do that. All she could see were the faces of the people who were laughing that seems like a white mask with a wide creepy grin carved on it. Their eyes shaped like arcs as they laughed at her as if she was the most embarrassing and funniest thing they have seen in their whole life.

“She can’t even dance.”

“What an embarrassment.”

“Is she really an ‘Everly’?”

“How disappointing.”

Alexandra jolted her eyes wide open as she abruptly sat up from her position, panting heavily as she was sweating. She can’t breathe, there was a tight feeling in her chest, and there was a lump on her throat preventing her to speak. She coughed multiple times as she looked around her brightly lit room which was caused by the rays of sunlight passing through her open curtains yet closed windows. It was already morning but it was still pretty early for her to wake up. Her shoulders were tense as she was taking deep breathes and slowly let it out but it didn’t help her calm down.

She reached out to the glass of water placed on top of the drawer beside her bed and once she grabs hold of it, she immediately brought it to her lips and gulp it all down until it was empty. She felt the pace of breathing became calm and normal, her shoulders relaxed, and the expression on her face softened and loosened as it became a gentle one.

A dream.

No, it was more like a nightmare. She couldn’t tell but she knew that it was horrible, scary, and horrifying. Just recalling the dream that she had earlier was making her tremble and shiver in fear. Out of all the dreams that she has, she knew that that dream was the scariest and most horrifying of them all. Though it may be simple and small to others, it was scary for her. What if that actually happened and I disappointed everyone? What if I really did step on my father’s foot while we are dancing and I tripped? What if I actually embarrassed myself? What if my brothers wouldn’t help me? What if

She slapped herself.

Get a hold of yourself, Alexandra. This isn’t you, it was like another version of herself was speaking to her and that version was the one who controlled her hand and made her slap herself. This isn’t you, control yourself. You have to remain strong, you have been waiting for this day, remember? She thought to herself and she closed her eyes. She took in a deep breathe once again and slowly let it out, regaining her composure in the process.

Dreams are the opposite of reality.

She was sure that her dream wouldn’t happen. She was sure that it wouldn’t happen. She wouldn’t let it happen. She looked around her and her eyes darted at the clock that was placed on the wall, almost near to the ceiling of her room. The long arrow was pointed near 9 while the shortest one was pointing at 11, 8:55. It’s already 8:55 in the morning. It was still early for her but it seems like she woke up late or something. It feels like I have completely forgotten something.

Nevertheless, why did I even have that dream in the first place?

She was about to go lay back down the bed when the door suddenly burst open and it revealed Diana with a few maids behind her, some were recognizable and some weren’t. She was startled and she let out a yelp as she slightly jumped in her bed because of it. She watched the maids rush inside her room as if they were panicking.

“Wake up the young miss!”

“You don’t have to. The young miss is already awake.”

“Prepare the bath immediately.”

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“It’s there, are you blind?”

“Where’s the rose petals?”

“It’s inside the basket I’m carrying. Don’t worry, I got it all.”

“Prepare her dress immediately.”

“But aren’t we going to let her eat first before we let her wear the dress?”

“Just prepare the dress.”

“Where’s the closet?”

“It’s there, are you also blind?”

They panicked and scattered inside her room, talking to each other, giving each other commands and orders, telling them what they should do, and such things. Alexandra stared at them, confusion written all over her face. Some went straight to the bathroom while some went straight to the walk-in closet. There were like 10 maids inside her room right now including her own maids, Diana, Daisy, and Yulli. Diana walked towards her direction, no she was rushing. Alexandra just watched her, blinking multiple times as her eyes were wide with wonder.

“Young miss, we don’t have no time. We must immediately prepare.”

“For what? Diana, I’m confused. What’s happening?”

Diana picked Alexandra up her bed as she was still in the middle of being confused. She wrapped her arms around her neck and let herself be carried to the bathroom where a few maids surrounding her. It was Daisy and Yulli along with another familiar maid who she doesn’t know the name of. They took her clothes off and behind them, she could see some maids prepare the bath, scattering some flower petals on the bathtub. The bathroom has a strong sweet scent and there were bubbles everywhere.

“Have you forgotten?”

“Forgotten what?”

“Pardon me for being rude but have your memory gone bad, young miss? You tend to forget so many things which are quite unusual,” Diana didn’t answer her question as she took off the dress that she was wearing. Daisy, Yulli, and another maid were helping her. She isn’t that used with that many people helping her change as well as help her take a bath. But she was still confused.

“Just tell me already,” It was clear that by the tone of her voice, she was getting impatient and more confused. She was gently pushed to the shower area before she entered the bathtub which was still being prepared. The scent was much stronger and sweeter than before and Alexandra was getting dizzy by its smell but she didn’t complain.

“The ball. Prince Calixander, your brother, it’s his birthday today. The ball will happen more than 7 hours from now and we don’t have that much time.”

If she wasn’t being careful, she could have slipped right there on the floor because of what she had heard from her however, Diana was holding her hand so that lessen the chance of her slipping. No wonder it felt like she forgot something, she mentally slapped her forehead. But for 7 hours? That’s already enough time for me to prepare for a party or a ball, she thought to herself.

“If you are thinking that 7 hours is enough time for you to prepare, you’re wrong, young miss,” She heard Daisy speak as Diana turned off the shower and she led her to the bathtub which was now finally prepared but the maids were still scattered, walking around the bathroom as if they were looking for something. Her bathroom was pretty big so it was no problem, it didn’t look cramped at all. But then walking around was making her dizzier than the scent which conquered the whole place.

Nevertheless, she responded to Daisy. “What do you mean it’s not enough?”

And she could hear the giggle that escaped her lips. This time, it was Yulli who spoke. “Since this is going to be your first ball and there would be many people, we have to doll you up. Make you prettier than everyone else in that room, you are going to be the center of the attention. I want their jaws to drop on the floor when they see you. It would be wonderful,” Yulli sounds like an evil scientist who was planning to conquer the world because of the way that she spoke. She even let out a burst of evil laughter in the end which sounded forced.

Scary, she felt herself tremble not because of the cold but because of Yulli.

“The young miss would be the Flower of the Night. Oh, how wonderful it would be,” Alexandra fully submerged her whole self except for her bed inside the bathtub, the water was warm and gentle against her skin and the red flower petals were floating on top of the water as if they were small boats. There were bubbles everywhere, her whole body was wet except for her hair which they said they would take care of later.

“The ball is going to begin in the late afternoon, what do you mean night?”

“It’s going to last until the night so what’s the difference?”

“You’re hopeless,” Then silence surrounded them for a few moments before Daisy broke it.

“I have been waiting for this day to come,” Was what she said. It really does sound like they were planning something bad, they were wide grins on their faces and a giggle escaped past her lips.

“Same,” Yulli commented.

This time, they were much calmer than before and only a few maids were left inside the bathroom as some were outside waiting for her. The few maids left inside were either standing or helping them.

The water also smelled sweet due to the things that they have added there which she doesn’t know what those are called. If I tried to taste it, would it be sweet or sour? She asked herself, staring at the water which reflected her face but it wasn’t clear. Her lips were pursed into a thin line and her eyes looked tired.

“How long will it take for me to be fully prepared?” Alexandra asked them, staring at the lone yellow rubber duck they placed on top of the water, letting it float freely. Diana hummed before she responded in her gentle and sweet tone of voice but it felt wrong in her ears as if her intentions were disguised by that tone of hers.

“Leave everything to us. You just have to remain still and follow what we say, if you don’t. We would be taking a longer time than that,” Was what she said and a shiver was sent down her spine giving her the chills. She gulped and all of a sudden, she felt uneasy and nervous.

She just silently prayed that everything would go well and she wouldn’t have a hard time, during the preparation and the ball.