Valeria slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a world that seemed to exist beyond the limits of time and space, a place the mind could not comprehend. The air was filled with an eerie silence, and light filtered through the shadows as if trying to guide her toward something. She felt a strange sensation pierce her very being, a feeling whispering in a hidden voice: "Turn… look behind you… Akira…"
Valeria shivered for a moment, her eyes widening in astonishment. Then she turned. There, before her, stood the massive crystal, glowing with pure white light, yet bound by heavy black chains, radiating a strange aura, as if a trapped scream emanated from it. The air around her grew heavy, as though everything in the place was watching, testing her.
She tried to approach, but the chains shot forward, wrapping around her. Suddenly, weakness coursed through her body, a deep pain gnawing at her heart and soul. She let out a scream filled with agony and despair, her head dropping toward the ground:
– "Damn this stupid world… why is this happening to me? Why didn't I die at birth? Why did it take everyone I loved? This is not fair! Curse this wretched world!"
The words repeated on her lips, pouring from the depths of her soul with all her pain:
– "Not fair… not fair!"
She sobbed as she felt the chains burn and tear at her body.
Then… suddenly, she awoke.
She was in her room, wrapped in her silky blankets, her eyes wide with shock. Beside her, Emilia, her devoted maid, sat worriedly, trying to calm her:
– "Miss… what's wrong? Why do you look so startled?"
Valeria slowly lifted her head, her eyes filled with gratitude and longing. She remembered her grandmother, the woman who always tried to draw a smile on her face and comfort her little heart. She could no longer hold back her tears, and they fell silently, a mix of sorrow and relief.
Emilia, alarmed, whispered in a trembling voice:
– "Miss… are you hurt? Should I call the doctor?"
Valeria smiled gently, holding Emilia's hand with care:
– "No… there's no need… thank you, Emilia. You're the only one who cares for me."
Time seemed to pause for a moment. Emilia felt a mix of shock and joy, for she had never heard these words from Valeria before. Smiling, she said:
– "I will always stay by your side, even if everyone else abandons you."
Valeria exhaled deeply, as if all the weight on her heart had begun to ease. She stood, her eyes shining with determination, and said firmly:
– "Emilia… listen carefully. From today onward, many things will change. First: you will start preparing a daily list of everything I will do, starting tomorrow."
Emilia was a little surprised; Valeria had never cared about such matters before, but she noticed the determination in her eyes and said with a faint smile:
– "Alright, Miss… what would you like me to do first?"
Valeria responded decisively:
– "Bring me a list to record all my activities tomorrow."
Emilia quickly wrote it down, feeling a quiet joy as she sensed Valeria beginning to take control of her destiny. Valeria sat on her bed, lost in thought, whispering to herself:
"From today onward, I will change everything around me… and I will never allow myself to end up on the execution platform. I will change my fate. I will not allow that to happen."
A little later, Emilia returned with the ready-made list. Valeria sat and calmly instructed:
– "Start with the list… first item: I will sit with my parents for tea every day."
Emilia happily recorded it. Valeria then continued:
– "And also… I want you to hire me a sword trainer and a magic trainer."
Emilia's heart skipped a beat, surprised by the request, but she dared not speak, silently writing down everything. Valeria said firmly:
– "This is an order, not a request. I do not want any discussion."
Emilia sighed, nodded, and gave a faint smile:
– "Alright, Miss… I'll prepare everything you asked."
Valeria felt extremely tired, despite just waking up. She went to the bathroom, showered with very warm water, letting the heat restore some of her strength and calm her tense nerves. She dried her hair, dressed, and stepped out into the garden.
She sat beneath a massive tree, holding a cup of tea in one hand and some of her favorite sweets in the other, admiring the garden's beauty, feeling a sense of peace. She noticed her father, Philip, watching from afar. At first, he hesitated, but then he began to approach.
Valeria noticed him and called gently:
– "Father… wait!"
Philip froze, surprise on his face; he hadn't heard her call since seven years ago, the day of her kidnapping. Valeria took quick steps and hugged him warmly, lifting her head as she said:
– "Thank you, Father… for holding me before I fell unconscious, and thank you for worrying about me."
Philip smiled, a mix of astonishment and affection on his face, patting her head as he said:
– "The most important thing is that you're safe, that's all."
Valeria approached him again, her eyes sparkling with excitement:
– "Would you like to sit with me for tea?"
Philip hesitated for a moment, then finally declined, saying:
– "Sorry, I can't. I still have unfinished work."
Valeria smiled sadly and replied gently:
– "It's okay, I understand the delay with your work."
Before leaving, Philip called her:
– "Valeria, wait…"
She turned to hear what he would say.
Philip, slightly embarrassed, continued:
– "Tomorrow, I'll be a little free if you still wish for me to join."
Valeria smiled and responded:
– "Of course, I still want that. I'll wait for you tomorrow at the same time."
Philip went to his office, thinking about Valeria's smile and the hug she gave him, feeling that the barrier between them would gradually disappear. He began completing his royal duties quickly so he could be free tomorrow.
Valeria felt her heart overflowing with hope, realizing that her first steps toward change had already begun. She sat again, sipping her tea, enjoying her sweets, with sunlight streaming through the trees, feeling that everything around her was beginning to change, and that life was giving her a new chance to shape her own destiny.
Message:
"Hello my dear readers!
I'm honestly overwhelmed with joy and gratitude—we've reached 1.1K views in such a short time!
Each of you who took the time to read, comment, and share my story has touched my heart more than I can ever express. Your support, encouragement, and love have been my guiding light and motivation to keep creating, writing, and dreaming.
Your excitement for my story inspires me every day. Knowing that my words bring even a little spark of joy, adventure, or emotion to your lives is truly the most beautiful feeling in the world. I feel incredibly blessed to have such amazing readers like you!
And now… I have some exciting news to share!
I'm thinking of creating my story again for my followers, but this time in Portuguese and Japanese
This means more people around the world will be able to dive into the magical, fantastical world we're building together. I can't wait to bring you new adventures, twists, and magical moments in these languages as well!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this journey with me. You are not just readers—you are part of this story, part of this world, and part of my dream.
I promise to keep giving my best, to make you smile, gasp, and fall in love with the world we share.
With all my love and gratitude,
[Your writee]