GLIMMER AND DECAY [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 1

IT WAS DARK, COLD, and lonely, and that's not enough to describe what the crown princess of Corona Kingdom was feeling. Arianna had shut herself in her bedroom for days now.

The huge, purple curtains in her room completely covered her windows, depriving herself and her room of the warm, endearing lights coming from the outside world. The crown princess had purposely called on the darkness to accompany her as she fought on her childhood nightmare.

"I'm sorry. . ." Her hoarse voice forced its way out of her dry throat as she uttered those words.

She hasn't been eating nor drinking properly, not accepting any food left for her in front of her bedroom door. And it's been days since she's last taken a step out of the comforts of her own bed. Even the nightdress and underwear she was wearing was starting to stink.

Arianna took in a sharp breath then she exhaled loudly. She sat on her bed, her back pressed against the headboard. She had her blanket wrapped around her body, and her green eyes had now turned dull from the tautness she had accumulated from her lack of sleep.

"I'm sorry. . ." She folded her legs and pulled them closer to her chest. She buried her face on her knees as she sniffled, muttering the same words over and over and over again. The words she had been saying for the last few days.

The room was silent and all that accompanied it was Arianna's silent cries as she begged for forgiveness. Suffocating herself in her room and stripping herself off the rights to be treated as a human was her penitence for the tragedy that had befallen their family.

And this repentance lasted for how long she could remember.

THE KINGDOM OF CORONA was in sheer happiness as they prepared for the upcoming coronation of the crown princess. It had been five years since her king father had sent her out to a journey to prove her worth as the future queen. And everyone was overjoyed for her safe return.

"It is a pleasure to finally see you again, our dear eldest," the king greeted.

The four of them sat down for dinner, and only the king and their youngest princess, Princess Wilhelmina, had shown how happy they were for their kin's return. On the other hand, her queen mother looked the same.

"How was your journey?" The queen asked as she looked at her eldest. Arianna glanced at her father before looking back at her mother.

"It was a good journey. I've learned a lot of things and met the only one that held my heart," Arianna answered, happiness laced on her sweet voice.

The queen scoffed, but Arianna ignored it. She was aware of how displeased her mother was of her. And she knew how disappointed her mother had felt when they received the news of her arrival.

Despite the unpleasant feeling from the way she was being treated by her mother, Arianna didn't budge. In fact, she had allowed her mother to treat her unkindly, this was her way of atoning for her sins. And this was for the best, or so she had thought.

The king cleared his throat, as if he was trying to clear the suffocating energy accompanying them. "So," he started after taking a sip of red wine from his goblet. "When can we meet your beloved?" The king inquired, smiling at his daughter.

Arianna was caught off guard that she almost dropped her silverware. She wasn't expecting that her family would be interested in meeting the man their black sheep of a daughter would marry.

"Yes!" Arianna exclaimed, then she quickly sat properly on her chair, clearing her throat as well as trying to cover up the excitement she just showed a few seconds ago. "I mean, yes, your highness. We can arrange for tea later."

The king's smile never left him as he acknowledged his daughter's answer. Meanwhile, the queen had locked herself in her own world, treating their family dinner like any normal dinner with anyone.

The dinner ended well for Arianna. The wide smile, stretching her cheeks had proven how happy she felt after coming back from her long journey.

Arianna was on her way to her fiancé's room. She strode down the hallway followed by a few maidservants. Arianna traced the familiar hallway with her gaze as she recalled the pleasant memories she had during her childhood.

She could still remember how they were scolded because of how they almost tripped the huge ancient vase that was gifted to the queen's grandmother. And the way they clumsily run down the hall. Arianna stopped from her tracks as she recalled the way they laughed their lungs out from playing too much.

"Sister."

It was as if she could still hear her sweet voice calling her. Arianna took a couple of moments to breathe in and calm herself. Nostalgia was hitting her heart so bad that it was making her emotional.

"My love?"

She was pulled back from her emotional state when she heard her husband's comforting voice. Arianna quickly replaced her expressions and wore the same smile she had when she left the dining room.

"Frederic," she called softly as she went closer to him.

Frederic was a little worried when he found her in a gloomy state, but instead of asking her, he welcomed her with a comforting and tight hug.

"How was dinner?" He inquired.

The two of them began walking to the crown princess' bedroom. A faint but genuine smile brushed on her lips as she held onto his arm.

"It was good. Mother was the same, but father requested to meet for tea tomorrow."

Frederic smiled as he listened to her. Just hearing her voice while she talks about what happened to her day was enough to flutter his heart.

"Let's meet for tea tomorrow then," he agreed. The two of them stopped in front of the crown princess' bedroom.

Arianna looked up to him with longing in her eyes. It's as if she wanted him to come into her bedroom and sleep together. However, due to her kingdom's tradition, the two of them can only share one bedroom once they are officially married to each other.

Frederic let out a soft laugh at the sight of his fiancée's sulky expression.

"I'll visit you early in the morning," he assured her as he cupped her cheeks. "We'll take this night to get some rest, and then we can spend the night together tomorrow," he added, whispering to her as he inched his face closer to hers.

Arianna blushed at his words, and she instinctively glanced at the maidservants behind her. Fortunately, they seem to not care much about their acts of flirtation.

"Alright," she answered him then gave his lips a chaste kiss. Arianna giggled to herself as she bid him goodbye. Her chest was full of contentment as she entered her bedroom. But it soon dissolved into a tiny speck of fear.

She had forgotten. She hasn't changed her room from the old one she was using.

"Hah. . ." She released a loud, shaky breath as she walked to her bed. The end of her long dress grazed her carpeted floor.

Her room was still the same. The same purple curtains that shut off the natural lights from the outside world. The same bed she chained herself to. And the same feeling of suffocation that filled her heart each time she's in here.

"It's alright. We've overcome this already," she whispered to herself as if she was convincing a little child in distress.

Arianna pulled the curtains open, allowing the warm light of the moon to invade her cold room. It was still the early hours of the night, and Arianna could already feel how hard it would be for her to sleep comfortably tonight.