The Bald Princess

And in the world of darkness she meets her light, laced with the malice. When the world feared him, she was adamant to love him. Chapter 1: The Bald Woman I hated mirrors. They always told me how hideous I looked. When woman loved to look into the mirror, I felt embarrassment, pain and anger. Why wasn't I like other normal women? Why didn't I had hair like any other ladies out there? I was a bad omen. They always said when I passed by them. It was a brutal truth but it hurt every time I heard them saying it. My room was dark, void of any light. My house didn't possess a single mirror. Never did my father once forced me to have them. He understood my pain. He knew it was hard for me to see myself in the mirror. Bald. Ugly. Hideous. I wasn't born that way. I once had hair, beautiful brown locks. But one day I lost a chunk of them and it followed by many more until I was left with no hair on my scalp and body. I didn't had eyebrows, I didn't had any bodily hair. I was ugly. They always looked at me like I was a sin. I was a bad omen. I rubbed the petals on my body, the fragrance of them seeping my skin before I grabbed the container and splashed some water on my body. I wrapped the rough clothe around my body before I grabbed the corset and tied it around my bosom. The flowing skirt tight on my waist. A woman must always be dressed well. My mother told me when I was a kid. I loved dressing up, back then. I remember my mother combing my long hair, braiding them. She loved my hair. How I wished I could have them back. My hair. My mother. But I lost both of them. I grabbed the scarf tying it around my head, hiding my bald scalp. I grabbed the long bag, slinging it around my shoulders. Father was sitting on the chair, reading a book. He was a sweet person, a teacher. He used to teach kids— science and social values. His eyes lifted up, his lips stretching into a smile like they always did. I felt my heart filling with the sense of love and being wanted as he stood up and his old, shaky hands stroked my head. He had turned old. "Good morning, my sunshine. You look so beautiful today, my daughter." He said softly, his eyes twinkling with affection as he looked at me with his fatherly love. How much I wished to accept his words. I couldn't believe them. Not when my heart and soul had accepted how ugly I looked. He always told me beauty is devoid of any appearance but how do I believe when people always complement as you have beautiful eyes, beautiful smile, pretty face, beautiful hair. "Thank you, father. Did you sleep well? You must be hungry. I'll get you some bread." I said, blinking back my tears and he looked at me for a while before he softly nodded his head. "Cook some for yourself too. Are you going to meet Miss Lydia today? I met her with her son yesterday. Poor woman, she is still suffering from her back pain." He asked, flipping the page and I looked at him from the kitchen, nodding my head. "Mr. Philips denied her in the infirmary last Tuesday. She doesn't have enough money. I asked her to meet me today, though. But she fears that I—" I trailed off, unable to complete as I laughed it off, my heart curling painfully inside my chest. "What you have is not contagious, my daughter. That won't make her bald too." He said making me smile sadly at him. I am a bad omen, Father. It spreads quickly. "People believe it as a contagious disease. Not that I blame them. No woman wishes to get bald." He sighed while I buttered the bread before placing it in front of him with a cup of hot steaming tea. "I believe in you. You know that right?" He asked after a long pause, making me look at him. Whom will I believe if not him? He is the only person who had stood by me even when I was termed as cursed. He never accepted me as one. For him I was always his blessing. "I know, Father. I'll meet you in the evening. Will porridge be okay for dinner?" I asked and he sighed, looking at me sadly but sternly. "You are not going anywhere without eating, daughter." He said, his soft voice turning a little stern and I looked at him, ready to argue. "Punishing yourself for no sin is also a sin, my daughter. The Supreme Lord above cries when you cry out in pain. And starving yourself doesn't give him peace as people say, my sunshine." "I don't know, Father, if it's a sin or not. But I still want to repent for it." He opened his mouth, to protest, to deny but I beat him to it. "It reduces the pain, Father. It helps me with the guilt. Please." He sighed, nodding his head as he smiled sadly at me. "Promise me you'll eat after you've helped people in need." I nodded my head, leaning forward to hug him. "I promise, Father." ~~~~~~ My bare feet were soiled in mud. I had always wanted to be a healer. A person who can help others in pain and fear. I was walking towards the old, once abandoned building where the poor and underprivileged lived. The State never considered health requirements for them. They never sent healers for them. Nearly twenty percent of our people died from hunger and lack of medical attention. People here met me, some didn't care that I was a bald woman but some looked at me like I was cursed. Like it was my sin that made me bald. I looked at the kid in front of me, his body burning from the fever. I quickly placed my palm against his forehead, sighing before I quickly grabbed the washcloth and dipping it in the cold water as I placed it over his forehead. I grabbed a glass of water along with a powder of medicinal plants as I mixed them before asking him to drink it. "Bailey," I called the younger girl whose left hand didn't work. She nodded her head as she pulled a tray with freshly diced fruits and vegetables with rice. She was so much like me. Society had despised her too. "Eat them on time, yeah? I'll meet you in an hour. If you need anything, this is Bailey. She'll help you." "Thank you, Miss Atarah. You're really an angel in disguise of a human." I smiled at his words. How peaceful his words were but how much they pained me. "Why don't you rest, little man? You have a family to look after." And with that I walked to different patient. Miss Lydia stood on the doorstep, looking anxious as ever. Her eyes shifted to mine and she looked at me with nervousness seeping her once bold brown eyes. She was in pain, I could tell but she was scared even more to be touched by a bad omen as such me. I nodded at Bailey, before walking towards her. "Accept my greetings, Miss Lydia. I see you're here. Do you want me to help you with the pain?" I asked softly and she licked her lips, nodding her head softly. "If you don't mind, Miss Atarah. Can you please wear gloves before touching me? I don't— I don't wish to get bal........" My heart shattered inside my chest but I quickly looked away, blinking back my tears as I nodded my head. "Of course, Miss Lydia. I won't directly touch you. Please lie down." I said, pointing towards the empty bed and she nodded her head, lying down on the rough mattress. I pulled on my gloves. I pressed her back and she grunted in pain. I gripped her back firmly, pressing my thumb against her skin, rubbing them in a thumb walk. I made her drink a medicinal green potion and she turned around, stretching her limbs and her eyes widened as she looked at me, shocked. "It— it doesn't pain so severe now. You really are a magician, Miss Atarah." I smiled at her words. Magician? Barely. "I am no magician, Miss Lydia. Just don't put any strain on your back. Though a bit of exercise won't hurt your back. Eat healthy and you'll be fine." I said with a polite smile as I removed my gloves. "What about your fees, Miss Atarah?" She asked with a bit nervousness lacing her tone and I chuckled softly, shaking my head. I knew she didn't had much money with her. She barely met her and her child's expenses. "I don't charge fees. Please, don't stress yourself with it. If your pain still persists please let me know. I'll give you some medicines if the pain still erupts, okay?" I said, packing the medicines and she pressed her lips, playing with her skirt as she nodded her head. "A question is still bothering me, Miss Atarah." She said and I turned to look at her. "Ask way, Miss Lydia. One should never keep things bottled up inside them." "How do you support yourself and meet your expenses if you don't charge fees from your patients?" Her question made me smile. A sad smile. It's hard to live in a world where you are considered as a curse. Even harder when people even start fearing your touch. I shook my thoughts off. "I work on the fields. They provide me enough to support me and my father. And savings add on too. Who needs gold and silver to live, Madame Lydia? Two time meals are more than enough." "I—" She started but before she could've said anything Bailey came rushing towards me. Her chest heaving up and down as she was breathing heavily. I turned to look at her and she approached me. "Atarah! He— he's here! And he's really injured. They are calling you!" She rushed and I furrowed my brows, running outside, holding my skirt as I turned towards her. "Who's he?" "He— Warrior Ansel Duncan. He's there on the stairs, bleeding." Warrior Ansel Duncan in my infirmary? I was banned by the royalty. And having a royalty on my doorstep really astounded me. I have never seen him before. I was not allowed inside the royal kingdom. But I have heard of him. Everybody had. Of how cruel and savage Warrior Ansel Duncan was. The one who never forgive his enemies and the very warrior who is heartless. He had an iron for a body and steel for a heart. And when I reached there, I saw him right on my staircase, his face ducked down. He was exactly the way people described him like. Tall. Strong. But what I didn't expect him to be was on my doorstep. How ironic it was that when royalty denied my entry in their area, and here another royalty was in my infirmary for help. "Sir— Warrior Duncan, she's here!" One of the guards said and he looked up, making my breathing to cease. I froze like the ice. I had expected him to have long beard and moustaches, like other warriors had. But he was clean shaved. His chiseled face looked like a dagger itself. How his silver eyes burned with intensity made me gulp. His dusky skin looked darker, maybe from battling continuously in the sunlight. Lord, I have seen men before but none like him. I licked my lips, my fingers curling around my gown. "What are you staring at? Sir— Warrior Duncan is bleeding here? Tend to him!" One of the guards barked and I snapped out of his trance. "With all due respect, I am not to touch any royalty with my bare hands as by the orders of the Sire himself." I mumbled and Warrior Duncan looked up at me. The fire in his eyes burned me from within. His intimidating gaze made me knees to go weak. No wonder his enemies left the battle just by gazing at him. "What curse?" His deep voice demanded and I gulped, licking my lips. "I am a bad omen, Warrior Duncan. I am not to touch any royalty with my bare hands." His jaw clenched as he stood up, his hand clutching his abdomen but not even once wincing in pain even when blood kept oozing out of his abdomen. "Then wear a damn glove! For I have a war to fight and infirmary is too far for me to waste my time."