Luminaria

Prologue

Wish

"Once upon a time, a princess was born gifted with the beauty of a goddess. Her long, wavy hair mirrored the gentle ripples of both the calmest and mightiest ocean waves. The long lashes and soft sets of her deep blue eyes would make anyone lost on their tracks as they'll surely drown in her captivating gaze. Describing her delicate, slender nose and the crimson, cupid's bow of her lips... wouldn't convey the flawless sculpting, graced upon her face. Beyond her physical form, to someone, her soul shines with an even greater beauty."

Mariing nakikinig ang labing-isan' taong gulang na batang babae sa malumanay na tinig ng kanyang ina, nilalabanan ang kaluluwa ng kaantukan sa kalooblooban nito.

The softness of her mother's voice is leading her senses to be asleep. However, this normal night from this common story is questionably robbing a sudden interest in her inner soul, as her lazy eyes slowly awaken.

"She's surely beautiful, Mama!"

"Truly... beautiful, Anak," the lady muttered with a gentle smile directed towards the little girl. "A beauty that is hidden from the scenery of every nature because of a cruel past."

"What do you mean, Ma?"

"The divine beauty that the princess possessed wasn't viewed, or appreciated. No one exerted themselves to cross paths with her, nor did a longing for her broken soul. She has the face but never been the attention and love, even from their bloodline... neither from her own family," malungkot na ngumiti ang kaniyang ina at marahang hinaplos ang buhok ng batang babae bago nagpatuloy.

"Her face is covered with the wounds of past, and blood that everyone blindly blamed in her existence. From the day that the princess was born, she never felt the warmth of a family's embrace... instead a lonely dark room, with a cold chains enveloped on her body."

"T-That's unfair, Ma! She's a princess right? How could they do that?!" Inis na pagmamaktol nito, pilit na tinatago ang namumuong luha sa kaniyang mga mata.

"The princess's royal blood was never been a reason for them to treat her as one. Every being that has known her existence didn't pay attention to her title, or even a glimpse of her beauty. Itinuon ng lahat ang pansin sa masalimuot na nakaraang pilit isinisisi sa kaniyang pagkabuhay." Huminga ng malalim ang kaniyang ina, at mariing tinitigan ang maluha-luhang mata ng batang babae.

The desperation look of the little girl is urging her mother to continue the story.

"She was believed to be a disgrace to their royal blood. Her creation would always dig the buried past that the people around her kept. The princess was cursed, her soul would always symbolize a wish and a darkest condition that would never mind if it cost you everything or... even anyone..."

Iniwas ng ina ang tingin mula sa batang babae at itinuon ito sa malawak na bintana ng silid, kung saan nakikita ang tanawin sa labas ng kanilang tahanan.

The view of their window shows the glacial night with the shivering blow of the wind making every leaves dance together with its lead. The deep blue sea calmly waving, creating a serene melody and shimmering the glimpse of a light that the moon above has reflected.

Tila pilit na inaabot ng kalmadong hampas ng alon ang mumunting sinag na dala ng buwan.

"A sweetest and greatest wish for a bitter and darkest conditions."

Under the moonlight, her mother unveiled a story of a wish burdened by a condition, a wish that was crushed and forgotten by the waves.

And from that cold dark night, the little girl whispered her wish feeling how the wind blew her desire sending to the most mysterious yet powerful creation she'd love to dance with... the calm and silent waves of sea.

Her eyes glistened the light ascend by the moon, just like how it lit the sea. And just like the sea, she tried to reach the lunar's gleam using her bare hands, closing her eyes, guaranteeing the lone light in the dark as a witness of her greatest wish.

Happiness...

She desperately whispered that word accepting whatever the condition would be.

****