Pirate Chronicles

Angela Isabel of the house of Daragiel-- that is my full name. I was the former Princess of Beckforth-- one of the more prosperous countries in the world. My life before was grand. Everyone saw to it that it would be. I grew up with several privileges not only because I was the only princess but also because I was the youngest in the family. If I want it, I'll have it!

I was happy even when my mother passed away after giving birth to me. Lady Yazmine, my sister took on that role! She was not my mother's daughter but a product of my father's unfaithfulness so she was not given the royal title. However, she was always there to take care of me and pamper me together with my ladies in waiting and governess. 

My governess was not strict either! I knew I had done a series of mischiefs when I was younger but I always got away with everything! All I needed to do was smile or cry. And everything would be alright because I looked like an angel. As a matter of fact, my father, the late King Stefan, named me Angela because I looked like an angel. They ALL said I looked innocent and gentle and harmless and could only do good! 

But THAT changed five years ago! My pampered life was changed in an instant. I was NOT even aware of the crimes they said my family and I committed! Nonetheless, I tasted the punishment because I was the sole remnant of the Daragiel family. My father passed away, my eldest brother was assassinated, Eric died in the war, and Yazmine was in Liberia. 

True, at first, I attempted to escape. Thanks to Eli (though he died) and the stranger, Sandlot, who did not leave me for a week until I was able to stand on my own two feet, I was able to live in peace for half a year. Until someone recognized me. My neighbors, who I thought I developed camaraderie with, were the ones who betrayed me and handed me over to the Prime Minister Ramos.

And that was when my real nightmare began! Ramos captured me for his own personal reasons. He had been a persistent suitor since I turned sixteen. He was ten years older than I am. I was not interested so I rejected him several times and as the princess I got what I wanted. On my eighteenth birthday, I told my big brother, Eric that I found Ramos' persistence cumbersome. 

When Ramos threw me in his manor's dungeon, he told me that Eric punished him because of that. His privileges as member of the House of Lords was taken away. His estate and property were revoked. He had to work as a middle class man and that paved the way to him being acquainted with King Adrien. 

I gripped the hilt of my sword as I recalled those times like they were yesterday. I closed my eyes so that no tears would escape. I had trained myself NOT to cry. I had trained myself to disconnect my heart so that I could survive but the things that happened in the past were too traumatic for me to erase from my memory. Flashes of my moments with Ramos played back on my mind as I heard the horses' hooves galloped while pulling the wagon I was in.

Ramos pulled my hair to force me to look at him. My hands and feet were chained so I could not fight back. He placed his lips near my ear and whispered, "I will let you feel the torment of downfall."

I looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "How did I offend you?" I asked.

Ramos scoffed, "Do not feign innocence. Your rejection caused my downfall. And this time, I will make sure you know what that felt like."

"This is unlawful. The new king will not tolerate this," I tried to argue.

He gripped my chin forcefully and uttered, "No one will know that the former princess is still alive. I already presented them with a burnt corpse claiming it was you."

My eyes widened in fear as Ramos narrated to me how I would spend my day as his slave. For a year, I was his slave. The cold floor of the dungeon was my bed. He tormented me every waking hour. My once smooth hands became blistered by doing laundry, cleaning, and other hard jobs. He did not let anyone help me either and warned everyone not to be affected with my innocent looks.

But the most traumatic experience was waking up on his bed, not knowing if he took his liberties with me or not! Ramos made me feel helpless and abused until I realized one day that it had to stop. As a slave, I had access to the training hall. I would secretly watch him practice and when all was sleeping, I trained myself.

So when he tried to render me unconscious one more time, I was prepared. I still remembered what his face looked like as I slit him from navel to nose. It was a commotion after. His guards tried to stop me. But, I was a Daragiel and I learned through practice that 'speed' pumps in my veins. From fighting his guards, I was able to determine my fighting skill. 

My eyes could quickly see their movements and my body copies them like they were my own. The discovery was shocking both to me and them. That was my first slaughter! I remembered the sound of blood splatters... I remembered running to a creek nearby. My hands trembled at the sight of my blood stained hands, arms, legs, clothes, and face. I washed off the blood from my body until my arms were sore. And I screamed and cried of what I had become. But, it was the only way to survive… it was my only way to escape.

I opened my eyes as the wagon halted. The driver gave me a piece of paper. "This is your next mission," he said. Then, he handed me a pouch of coins. "Half of the payment will be given to you after the deed was done."

I nodded and opened the folded paper. CROWN PRINCE BERNARD OF FRANCUA. I took a deep breath as I clenched my fist. I hated ALL Francuans! They were the roots of my downfall. Francuans! Francuans and Lady Editha…. Lady Editha and her Labyrinth Pirates. They will pay. I will find them and they will ALL pay!

My thoughts were deep in anger when I dismounted the wagon so I landed on the wrong foot and was about to fall on my face when an arm swooped me up my feet and smiled at me. We were locked in each other's gaze for quite a moment. His smile was genuine and it had been a while since I saw a genuine smile. His brown eyes were sincere. I would've smiled right away but I had forgotten how to. I could still feel his hands around my waist.

Then he said, "Is heaven missing an angel? Cause one had fallen in my arms." 

My eyebrows met in an instant  and I scoffed.