The Prince and The Prophecy

CHAPTER FIVE

Amarah's POV

I was swimming by the river in the middle of the night. I just finished my almost never-ending chores and I badly need to wash myself, but sadly, my Aunt’s family don’t allow me to do so at my own home.

They took me in when I was orphaned at a young age. I thought they took pity of me, but oh how wrong was I? They just took my home and farmland as their own and made me their slave.

I dived under the water, washing away all the unpleasant thoughts that are now bothering me.

When I came up once again, I felt something different. There was this nagging feeling that I wasn’t alone. Like someone is watching me, but who would, right? It’s almost midnight, and I do this so often that I am so sure not a single soul comes here around this time.

With that thought, I just shrugged it off and continued swimming until my muscles were already screaming at me. After a whole day’s work on the farm and at the house, I am already exhausted. I decided to finish my bath and put on the fresh set of clothes that I brought with me.

I walked back home while praying that nobody woke up while I was gone or else I would get a round of beating before going to bed.

Sadly, my guardian angels seem to be sleeping already or they just don’t hear me like always.

I tried to sneak in quietly but Aunt Delilah’s horrible face was the first thing I saw when I opened the door. She looks like she’s really waiting for me. Well, at least it was her. It could have been worse if it had been her husband.

“Where the hell have you been?” she asked as she pinched my ear really hard.

“Aunt, please. I just finished all my chores, that’s why I’m late.” I tried to reason out.

“Do you take me as a fool, Amarah? Did you think I would believe you? Why is your hair wet then?” this time she grabbed my hair painfully.

“I-I just washed myself in the river. Please, Auntie.” I tried to beg.

I don’t have the energy to fight her anymore. All I wanted to do was to go to sleep!

She pulled my hair on the way to the laundry room. I was trying to take her hands off me but my efforts seemed futile. I just wish that my cousin and Uncle are already asleep now.

She pushed me to the floor when we finally reached the laundry room.

“Make sure to wash all of these tomorrow!” she said before she left me there.

I just look at all the dirty clothes around me. I had the urge to cry but I fought hard against it. I just went to the couch in the corner. This is where I sleep.

The bedroom that I used to sleep in when I was a child was claimed by my cousin.

There is another vacant room upstairs but they won’t let me use it. Instead, they dumped all their unused stuff there, leaving no room for me. So I just settled here with an old and worn out couch that I use for my bed.

A hard lump formed in my throat when I remember the old days with my parents. I don’t remember much, but I know how they loved me. How my Mom never lets me do any kind of chore. I miss them so much.

So as much as I want to escape and run away, I just can’t afford to leave this place. This is my only remaining memory of my parents. This is still my home even though it has also served as my own inferno for the past ten years.

Snuggled in my old, battered quilt that my mom made for me when I was young, I pushed myself to sleep. I have another long day tomorrow and I need as much rest as I can get.

“Wake up you sluggish b***h!” her screeching voice was so loud, I think it pierced through my ear drums.

I was coughing out the water that went through my nose because my evil of a cousin decided to wake me up with a splash of cold water. What a great way to start my day!

“How dare you sleep in? I’m so hungry right now and there’s no breakfast yet!” she continued screaming, she sounded like a banshee in the heat.

“I ah- I’m sorry, I finished late last night…” I tried to reason out but she wouldn’t care as usual.

“Oh shut up and just make me my breakfast! It’s still early but you managed to ruin my day already!” she screamed as I scrambled to my feet to go to the kitchen.

I tried to fix my messy hair with my fingers on my way.

But my Aunt was already there and as soon as she saw me, she grabbed my hair and used it to pull me in front of the cooktop.

“Why isn't breakfast ready yet?” she snapped.

“Because she just woke up Mom! And if not for me she would still be snoring now!” Yanessa yelled behind me.

“Do you know what time it is?” my Aunt asked with gritted teeth.

How would I know the time? I just woke up and you and your daughter are ganging up on me already? I wanted to ask her but I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. She will just beat me more.

“You’re just as useless as your mother!” She screamed and that’s when I lost it.

She can say anything to me. She can hurt me, make me their slave, but she doesn’t have the right to speak ill about my mother. She is nothing compared to my kind and loving mother. I won't let this witch insult her like that!

I pushed her so hard that she fell on the floor.

“Mom!” Yanessa cried and immediately ran to her, helping her to get up.

She was about to charge back at me when my Uncle barged inside the kitchen.

“What is this mess, Amarah? Where is breakfast?”

“This useless b***h hasn’t cooked yet!” Aunt Delilah yelled, then grabbed something to throw at me. Luckily, I was able to dodge it.

“How can she cook when you’re harassing her? Let her be, I’m hungry!” I almost sighed in relief, but he quickly turned to me.

“Make sure breakfast is ready after I finish my bath or else…” he declared before he turned to the bathroom.

Aunt and Yanessa, my cousin, stomped their way out of the kitchen, leaving me alone in peace.

I sighed before finally starting to cook. After I had finished, I grabbed a bagel and slipped it under my shirt.

“Breakfast is ready!” I shouted for them to hear before I ran my way out to the pig sty while eating my bagel for breakfast.

I wasn’t allowed to eat with them, but usually there are no leftovers for me, so I just grab whatever I can have when they’re not looking.

I have a lot of chores and I definitely need a lot of energy, but they don’t seem to realize that!

I need to feed and clean the pigs twice a day. There were around fifty pigs inside the sty, so it takes a while to finish my job here. I heaved a sigh before starting.

How I wish that my parents were still alive, but it’s impossible. I saw their funeral, though I barely remember their faces now. I wasn’t able to save even a single photograph. My Aunt burnt them when I was young.

My mother’s family was poor, but my Mom was lucky enough to be able to marry a well-off man, my father. It was unknown to us that my Aunt envied Mom so much for that reason. So when they died in an accident, she and her family immediately took everything from me.

They made my life a living hell that sometimes I wish I had just died with my parents. And by sometimes, I mean every day.

I was with them in the car that fateful night. Our car's brakes failed to work and it fell over a cliff. Almost everyone can't believe how I was able to survive that horrific accident. I was thrown out of the window as the car hit the bottom of the cliff and exploded. I only got a few scratches and some bruises.

For them, it was a miracle. But for me, it was like a punishment.

A punishment that I was living in until now. I wonder when this will end.

Will it ever?

I was drenched in sweat after I finished cleaning. Now, I need to go back to the house to clean it up. I basically do everything around the house as my relatives are all slobs.

My shoulders slumped when I saw the state of the living room. It looked like it was hit by a tornado. Used clothes and shoes are thrown everywhere. Snack wrappers are also scattered on the center table together with some crumbs and juice splatters. There was even a broken vase in the corner.

I just groaned at the sight in front of me and decided to go to the kitchen first. I need a cold drink before I start.

“And what are you doing here?” Yanessa queried, one of her eyebrows shot up.

“I need a drink,” I answered quietly.

“What? Can’t you see the mess in the living room? You should fix that first before anything else!” she snarled.

In my head, I was already murdering her. I know she was messing everything up on purpose. What other purpose could that be than making my life miserable than what it already is?

“I just got home from the farm, at least let me drink before I clean up your mess.” I tried hard to sound calm.

“Oh and you have the guts to talk back to me now?! Papa will surely hear about this!” she hissed.

“Okay fine. Just please shut up.” I went back to the living room and started cleaning with a heavy heart.

I feel like a damsel in distress in a fairy tale, but instead of an evil stepmother and stepsisters, I have my evil Aunt and her family.

When I was young, I would always dream of a fairy godmother who would come rescue me. Or maybe a prince or a knight in shining armor who will save me from these monsters, but not anymore.

I now knew very clearly that no one would save me. Heck, I don’t even want to save myself. I can just run away from these but I can’t.

I will just try to endure everything while hoping that someday they will realize their wrongdoings and finally be good to me, but that seems to be impossible too. So I guess, I will really spend my whole life suffering.

After an hour, I finally finished cleaning the living room. My body is now telling me to get some rest, but it’s time to cook lunch. I went to the kitchen and good thing, Yanessa isn’t there anymore. I looked for something to eat first because my stomach was now growling at me.

I was busy cooking while eating the leftovers from their breakfast when I felt someone rubbing my shoulders, causing me to jump.

“It’s just me Amarah.” Uncle had a hideous grin on his face when I saw him.

“Why are you so jumpy?” he asked.

He is scary with his tall height and big body build. I think he can smash me with just a single blow. I cowered away from him.

“U-uncle, do you need anything?” I forced myself to speak up because I couldn’t stand his stares anymore.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he was intently looking at me from head to toe. The grin on his face was unwavering. After a few minutes, he finally left me alone. That’s the time that I released the breath that I wasn’t aware I was holding this whole time.

He is getting even creepier these days.

I hurriedly finished cooking, then set up the table. I was sure they would come at any minute now and I didn’t want to see their faces, so I quickly went upstairs. I need to clean the rooms this time.

Every day, I scour every single corner of the house and I can’t imagine how they were able to make it a mess right after I clean it.

I went into the master bedroom. This was where my parents used to sleep. I looked around, trying to recollect as many memories as I can, but because I was only eight years old when they died, most of them are unclear now.

Nothing can remind me of them. All their belongings were burnt by my Aunt a long time ago. They also changed almost everything around the house. The paint, the furniture, they were all different now from what I can vaguely recall. I sighed and just started cleaning.

The only consolation that I get is that I feel somehow closer to my parents when I am here...