The Forbidden Heiress

It all started in the year 1970, in a small house isolated from the town and located in the deepest part of the forest, surrounded by tall trees and bushes. A young girl, who lived with her father and had no idea about her mother's whereabouts, resided there. She had never seen her mother since birth, as there were no photographs in the house, and her father never talked about her. Whenever she asked, she would get beaten. There were no relatives she knew of that she could ask, so she could only imagine and hope to one day be answered.

She grew up with her father as her only family, but they weren't close at all. He would leave her alone at home with barely anything to eat. She learned to survive on herbs and plants. Her father would go out, come back drunk, and beat her when he felt like it. As she got older, she started to notice changes. For instance, her hair started to change color. Her hair, which was originally blond, started to turn a bright red color. Her dad noticed this and started mistreating her even more.

One night, while her dad was out, she went to her neighbor's house to stay for a while, as she always does. But then she lost track of time, slept off, and came home late. Her dad beat her so badly that she had bruises all over, but it didn't even bother him. He beat her until she was bleeding. This is how it had always been for her. Over the years, she had gotten used to the brutality. For some reason, her wounds healed abnormally fast, but she did not know this, as she had never seen another injured person and was always amazed at how quickly her bruises and injuries disappeared.

She sat and thought to herself, What might I have done to receive such hate from the one I call father? She was grateful that at least the neighbor cared. Days passed, and as her birthday approached, she wasn't even excited, knowing her dad wouldn't remember, let alone celebrate. The night before her 16th birthday, she went to her neighbor's house, and her neighbor gifted her something. She gave her a necklace and said, "It was your mother's." Then her neighbor said, "You are finally ready." The girl asked, "For what?" Her aunt smiled and said, "Find your origin."

She's speechless, but she puts it on, and memories start flooding through her mind—of people and places she had never seen before. She collapses, and when she wakes up, she's alone in the house. Her head hurts, and she is in a state of confusion. She gets up and looks for her neighbor around the house, but finds she is gone—as if she never existed. She sits in the living room in panic and devastation. The only person who seemed to care about her is gone, just like that. She cries for some time, questions running through her mind with no one to answer.

Her eyes fall on the wooden clock on the wall. The time says 12:30 a.m. She had lost track of time. She wipes her tears and gets up to leave. Then she catches her reflection in a glass pane. Her breath caught, she stumbled back from the glass; this wasn't her. It couldn't be. The color of her hair is now completely red, and her originally brown eyes are now blue. At this point, the rush of emotions is too much for her.

She whispers, "I can't go back. He'll kill me."

She had made up her mind to run. She didn't know where to go or how she would survive. All she knew was that going home was not an option.

She takes one last look around her neighbor's house, and her mind is set. She thinks to herself: What is there to lose? The only person who took care of her is missing, and her dad probably wouldn't care.

She takes off and runs for a few kilometers before arriving at a small cave, she is exhausted and decides to rest.

She falls asleep in the warmth of the cave. In her dream, her neighbor appears, luminous and gentle.

"Where did you go? What happened to you?" the girl asks.

"My child, you are not alone. Your aunt will always be with you," the neighbor replies.

"My aunt?" she whispers, confusion and hope mingling in her voice.

The neighbor's gaze softens. "I am your mother's sister. I stayed to watch over you after your mother disappeared, to make sure your father didn't harm you."

Tears spill down the girl's cheeks. "All this time, I thought I was alone. You were my neighbor, but you were family. You knew how he treated me, yet you said nothing. I cried to you, begged to know about my mother, and you stayed silent for sixteen years."

She wipes her tears, voice trembling. "You must know what's happening to me. So, what am I?"

Her aunt smiles. "You are a princess. Your true name is Alphi. You come from Leniva, the land of emerald forests and hidden rivers. It is the birthplace of your mother—and yours. In time, you will understand everything. Now, I must go."

"Wait, I still have questions!" Alphi pleads.

Her aunt's voice lingers as the dream fades. "I'll always be with you."

Suddenly, Alphi is jolted awake by harsh laughter. Men's voices echo in the cave, discussing how they will defile her and sell her.

Alphi's head throbbed as she pushed herself upright. The men noticed her, their grins spreading like oil.

"Oh, hello pretty," one of them drawled, stepping closer. "How are you doing?"

She shivered, shrinking away as his rough fingers traced her cheek and neck.

"Don't worry," he whispered, breath hot against her skin. "We'll treat you well—just make sure you get us a good price."

She tried to retreat, but the others blocked her path, their eyes cold and hungry.

"So, out of the five of us, which do you want first?" another jeered.

Alphi's breath came in short, ragged gasps. Fear and confusion clouded her mind.

"That's not fair," a third man mocked. "She should at least get time to think about what she's working with."

Their laughter echoed off the cave walls, cruel and loud.

"Don't worry," someone else sneered. "You'll be so satisfied, you'll never think about it again."

They closed in, shouting vile words, demanding she strip.

Panic surged through her. "Stay away from me! Don't come any closer—I could hurt you!" she screamed, backing away until her back hit the stone wall. She slid to the ground, sobbing.

"Aunt! Aunt!" she cried, her voice breaking.

The men only laughed harder. Alphi's world spun with terror, and she was left helpless, desperate for a miracle.

Then she hears a voice say, "Order with control."

She clutches her necklace, a single teardrop falling onto it. Her mind flashes to the countless heroines she had read about while staying at her aunt's.

"Here goes nothing," she whispers, her voice trembling. "I order you all to stop!"

But nothing happens.

The men laugh louder, mocking her.

"She thinks she's some kind of god!" one jeers.

Another scoffs, "Joke's over. Time for business."

A surge of fury rises in her chest. She screams, this time with anger, "STOP!"

And then — everything goes dark.

—

When she wakes up, silence.

The cave is soaked in blood.

Her head throbs as she tries to make sense of the scene. She pushes herself up—

—and screams.

She's covered in blood.

Panic grips her. Her memories are a blur.

"I must've passed out... but then… who… who killed them?"

Tears spill down her cheeks.

"Wait… did I kill them?" she whispers, trembling.

"I only wanted them to stop… I didn't want to kill them..." she stammers, voice breaking.

"I'm a murderer. I killed people. They had lives—families—someone waiting for them. And I just erased their existence."

A cold thought strikes her.

"That's right… it's my birthday today."

She closes her eyes, shaking with grief.

"I wish all of this had never happened. First, I feel like the world hates me—

well then, happy birthday to me."

And in that moment, she vows:

She will never celebrate her birthday again.

She was covered in blood, hungry, and confused.

Alphi stood amidst the aftermath of chaos, the weight of it pressing down like a stone in her chest. She wondered, with a hollow ache—had her father ever truly tried to find her?

Her limbs trembled as she pushed herself up. The past was unchangeable, that much was clear. But one thing burned brighter than fear:

She needed answers.

Who was she, really? What was this power within her—this terrifying force she barely understood?

She still didn't know how to reach her aunt—or who she could trust. A cold dread crept in, whispering that she might be losing herself.

The hunger clawed at her stomach, sharp and relentless, twisting frustration into something almost animalistic.

Then, a name surfaced from the fog of her mind.

Leniva.

Where had she heard it before?

Her breath caught. The name echoed in her memory—her aunt's house.

A heavy dread settled over her like a shroud.

She would have to go back.

Back to the place she had fled.

But what choice did she have?

The need for answers outweighed even her fear of her father.

Truthfully, it wasn't him she feared anymore.

She was afraid of herself.

Afraid of what she had done… and what she might do again.

Alphi clenched her fists, determination hardening inside her.

Her life had spiraled into something unrecognizable. It had never been perfect—but at least before, she'd held onto her sanity.

Now, even that felt like it was slipping away.

And if she didn't find answers soon, she feared she'd lose herself completely.