taesijr123

This chapter explains a bit more of Estel's personality.
As well as what is to come.
=3=
Note: this is a drama side-story and not comedic.

//Anomaly.//

Esla's Pov: mostly.

"Sister... do you hate me?" were Esla's first words, when she confronted her sister within Estel's room. Beautiful decoration of dark-blue colors fitting her hair and dolls were lined up, Dresses of many kinds were lined up in a rack for her to play with. A grand room fit for a princess of her age and yet there was no emotion to be seen in her eyes.

At the age of 9, she had been battered by words of spite and disgrace from her own kind.
She was a child who was forbidden from leaving her room only when she was called forth to do the necessary training as the daughter of the demon-king.

In that room, only her mother comes to greet and accompany her for a day or two.
But even that was brief.

But Estel frowned and shook her head.

"Why would I hate sister?
Did you do anything wrong to make me despise you?"

Esla gripped the cloth in her chest with one of her hands as she said those words.
but then said.

"Because of me!
They are treating you so poorly!
Don't you, Hate me!
Don't you want to say anything?"

As the young girl with dark wings asked her wingless sister.
She simply gently smiled like a beautiful painting.
then said to her...

"Sister... I think your wings are beautiful." were her words.
She then went pale with confusion and worry.
Esla expected her to express her anger towards her.
Yet she had shown none.

[Something... is wrong here.
She is too...
Abnormally Forgiving.]

"Why... why are you like this!?" she asked her with a pained expression on her face.

But she simply looked down and raised her head as she looked at her in the eyes as she said.

"It doesn't matter what I say.
It is a fact, I don't have the wings like yours.
Do I?" were her words to me.

[
It's been a year since then...
I've trained with those assigned to teach me and
sometimes skipped them to simply checked on her from time to time.

Other children her age in the castle simply harass and bully her due to her human appearance.
No scales, no wings, no tail, nor any change of color that gave a sign that she was a half-demon.
Yet she didn't say a single word to them and moved to finish her day.

Intelligence and incredible tolerance at such a young age.
There was something incredibly terribly wrong about it...
Most children would just bawl and cry like a child because of it.
Even I myself had done so when someone of my own age.
Decided to pick a fight with me because of her.
But she was different.
because I've watched her for a year, something inside of me hurts,
Like a piece of heavy baggage that won't go away.]

"This is not how you should talk!
Why are you not hating me!?
Why are you not despising me!
Why are you like this!" As she screamed out all her frustration and guilt.
She then kneeled in front of her while gazing at her with a worried look.

[Please... at least show me that you are in pain.] were my genuine thoughts.

But she simply walked towards me, as she embraced my head with her small body.
"It is fine sister...
I am fine...*Hic*" She calmly said to me.
Then I saw it, her tears were falling as she began to finally sob.
And yet, I noticed it.
The piece of cloth she used before I entered this room.
She was repressing and crying all alone in this lonely place.

I gave her a tight hug as we wept together.
At the age of 12 my understanding of my sister.
Was that she was a genius.
And yet...

They still continued to scorn her.
And it lasted for years.
I wanted to become queen sooner so, I can finally free her from this place.
I made that kind of promise to her.

"When I become queen, I will bring you to a better place than here."
Was what I told her.
Working harder than everyone else.
Surpassing and crushing those that stood in my way.

They taught me everything.
From combat, magic, and ways to talk to people.
For my sister, they had rarely taught her anything.
To be exact, they are holding back on her.
All they had taught her were harmless things that could never be helpful when one's own life is in danger.

Like they were simply teaching her how to become a doll for their next king.
Anger was eating me inside as she continued to grow.
She was being isolated in such a place.

When I told her I would teach her magic.
We were caught by one of my father's henchmen.
I pleaded to my father to at least give her something!
Anything!
Other than being pretty and pitiful like this!
but he shook his head like a coward.

I was forced to talk to my teacher.
The Head Captain of the shadow knights.

But to my surprise, I saw it...
He was already teaching her a few things and tricks.
But that was simply because none could challenge or question his words.

Even though it was only ways to defend herself.
I was glad he had at least taught her how to keep herself safe.
Just in case something wrong were to happen.

Just... in case...

As teardrops fell from her eyes.

___________________________________________________________________________
//Regret.//

On my 17th birthday.
It happened.

A mad sorcerer had appeared seeking vengeance against my father.
After a fierce battle of magic and skills.
Though at the end I still lost.
Her face was the last and only thing gazing at me.
Denying the reality that was right in front of her.
The last thoughts I could muster were.

[What a pity...
I wanted to protect her, the moment I became queen.
I wanted to at least show everyone, she is more than she looked.
Which was why...
I pursued deeper into the path of being a Queen.
Made myself a figure which she could follow.
Yet... in the end, was that all for naught?]

I could no longer remember what happened afterward.
My heart stopped beating and the grip of death had reached me.
But still, I awoke in my room, my mother was in a wheelchair beside my bed.

She had a pale and drained look on her face.
As for me, I'm healthy?
How... on earth did that happen?
I recall a dark lance piercing my chest straight to my heart to save her.
And yet...
I'm still alive?

I asked my mother what happened but she only closed her eyes, as she said.
"Ask your father."
And so... I pursued my father for answers.

He then said these words said to me.
"Your sister... is not wingless."

"She saved us all."
_____________________________________________________________________________
//Illusion//

I blinked multiple times when he said those words.
Joy broke out my heart as I heard it.
[Doesn't that mean she can finally be acknowledged?
Doesn't that mean she can be finally accepted by the people here?
Isn't that great? They were all WRONG!?] were my joyful thoughts.

"But then I asked.
Where is she?"

My father grew silent but then he said.

"I'm already preparing scouts in search of her.
Your mother needs you by her side."

I went completely pale at his words.
Fear and anxiety grew in my chest as I heard it.

[Scouts? but why? did she run away?
What is happening?]

"Tell... me... what happened!
Where is she!?" I shouted at him.

He then glanced at me with his large figure, then looked away staring downwards.
"She is gone...
That mad sorcerer threw her somewhere out there...
I'm sending scouts to track her down and bring her home."

Swiftly I cried out.
"I'm coming with them!?"

"NO!" With his burning dark eyes, he said with fury.
"If I lose you as well...
Then your mother and I will be left with nothing!"

"Tch!?" she clicked her tongue in response.

"Then why won't you be the one to go?
Why send your men that despise her so much go?
Do you really think they can find her on their own with that kind of thoughts!
Do you really think she will even come home after they found her!?"

"I have a responsibility as a king here!" he shouted.

"If I could,
I would have come after her myself!"

"After the recent attack!
I need to be here to oversee that nothing like this will happen again!
Do you understand!" as he told me this, I could only think.

[He was a stubborn jerk as always.
Yet... I felt like even he was still concerned for her.
Which what relieved me.

And yet the anger I suppressed finally went to my chest as I retorted.]

"Fine then...
You... don't really care about her at all do you?
You... value this place more than your own family?

If that's the case then...
it doesn't matter anymore.
what I say does it?" She then walked away with her.

"Esla... That's.." as he reached out to her figure.
She left him in his throne as she began to run away from him crying.
__________________________________________________________________________

//A Choice.//
I went to my mother and asked her what I should do.
Her pale face and expression only showed that even she was concerned about Estel safety.

"That child is all alone out there...
I don't really know if she is alive or not.

But if you really want to search for her,
Then seek out your teacher."

"But... what about father?"

"I will deal with him..." She then gently smiled me as she said those words.

Her eyes were crimson red, her hair was blue as the moon tied neatly to the side of her shoulder.
She was the only one who kept Estel whole in this damned place.
The one who truly cared for her.

As I went to the knight captains place to meet with him.
He then smiled as he saw me.

"As expected of your mother, she told me you would come.
Now then... let's go find her." were his words.

As my journey outside this place began.

____________________________________________________________________________

//A Mother's Perserverance.//

There was a report to the demon-king about Esla skipping her lessons.
He went to confront her, and there he found his mistress.
Rue and Esla sitting in a chair together in their room.

He began to scold her as he walked towards her.
"Esla I heard you were skipping your lessons!
Answe-"

Then Rue his wife smiled at him, as he came closer to them.
He then swiftly noticed.

"This is..." His furious eyes turned to Rue.

"Where is she!?" Esla's image had faded like a ghost.
It was merely an illusion conjured by her mother.

Rue gazed at him with anger in her eyes.

"Tell me... do you really love your daughter?" was her question to him.

"If I did not then I wouldn't have sent the shadow knights on a quest to find her do I?"

As he said these words, he then realized it.
He turns to leave to send the knights back.
But then Rue said.

"Estel won't return, without her sister with them."

He paused to turn back and ask her.

"What do you mean?"

"That child is sick of this place.
I watched her grow, weep and endure your own people you know...
I taught her how to make tea and other things in my spare time.
What I've discovered was, she was a smart child."

"And your point?" he menacingly asked her.

"A smart child like her will never come back to a place like this.
Her sister is the only lure we can muster to find her.
Because she and I were the only one who knows Estel pain in this horrid place."

"Even that is the case, she still has a responsibility of-" as he said this she interjected.

"That responsibility is already taken care of. by her own sister.
Yet you pushed those foolish responsibilities to her.
Instead of showing her the beauty of the world around her." She calmly said.

But then her tone turned into fury.

"Tell me... why did you not teach her magic like Esla?
Why did you erase the chance for her to shine like Esla?
Why did you abandon her like this?" She angrily said to him.

"That child right now...
Doesn't know how to fight.
She barely knows any magic.

Right now she is just a doll, ready to be broken at any moment."

The demon-king went pale as she said those words, the guilt creeping up his chest was proof of it.

"I had no choice!
My own people saw her as a threat to the throne!
They rejected the very idea of her learning any of those!" he shouted.

She then inhaled and exhaled deeply at his words.
Then looked towards the windows.

"She was a kind girl.
Harmless like a flower only beauty and looks were her only perk.

Now she is left to the wolves out there.
Let us await your daughter's return.
And pray that she brings back news that she is unharmed." She calmly said.

But then gripped her chest with worry.

"All I can simply say.
We are only permitted to grieve once we find her rotting corpse." as she clenched her teeth smiling at her husband.