06/04/2025
TITLE: the illegitimate princess and the duke
Author:Artzhy
Genre: Romance, thriller, historical fiction
CHAPTER 1:
On a bitterly old winter evening, a young girl wandered alone, her body shaking with fear and her belly growling with hunger. Weakened by the harsh conditions, she eventually collapsed onto the snowy ground, losing consciousness. Just as the darkness seemed absolute, a carriage happened upon the scene, its passengers illuminated by the faint moonlight. A kind-hearted couple peered out into the night, their eyes falling upon the fragile form of the little girl. "Is she... deceased?" the woman asked, her voice laced with concern. The man stepped down from the carriage, his face etched with sympathy. "Poor child, she must be freezing. Where could her parents be?" His wife's expression mirrored his distress. "We can't leave her here. It's best we take her home and let her rest by the fire." With gentle care, the man lifted the girl into his arms and carried her back to the carriage. As they conveyed her to their home, the warmth and light of the carriage enveloped her, offering a fleeting sense of comfort and security.
(Earlier, On the Montague Mansion)
Alesha was trapped in the basement of the Montague Mansion. She was all alone, with only bread to eat. But she wasn't the only one - rats scurried around, fighting her for food. Alesha was terrified of the rats, so she let them have the bread. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched them eat. Just then, a maid stormed in, furious. "What's wrong with you?!" she yelled. "Why did you let the rats eat your food?!" Alesha trembled, "I-I'm scared of them...". The maid was livid. "You're getting no food today! You're useless!" She kicked the cell door and stormed out. Alesha felt hopeless. "It's my birthday today," she whispered to herself, tears streaming down her face. "I wish I could get out of here...". But then, she spotted something shiny on the ground - a key! She picked it up, wondering if it would unlock her cell. She tried it, and to her surprise, it worked! Alesha was finally free from her cell. She looked around, trying to find a way out. She spotted a small hole in the wall, just big enough for her to squeeze through. Taking a deep breath, she crawled through the hole and found herself at the mansion's gates. And luck was on her side - the gates were open, with no one guarding them. Alesha took a deep breath and stepped through the gates, finally free from the mansion.
Back at the Montague Mansion, a maid was frantically searching for the head master. When she finally found him, she blurted out, "Sir, the little girl escaped!" The head master's face turned red with rage. "What?! Find that girl! Bring her back, dead or alive! I don't care what it takes!" He glared at his men and servants. "If you fail, you'll all lose your heads! Now go!" His men scurried off, shouting, "Yes, sir!" As they disappeared into the night, the head master stood at the window of his study, his mind racing. "We have to find her before someone else does," he muttered to himself. "She's too valuable to lose..."
(On the sanchez mansion)
Alesha slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a lavish room filled with golden decorations. She thought to herself, "Where am I? What is this place?" She got up and approached the window, marveling at the breathtaking view. Just then, the door opened, and a woman, a man, and a maid entered with food. The woman asked, "Are you awake already, little one? How are you? Are you hungry?" The man chuckled and said, "Lilia, calm down. The child must be scared." He smiled at Alesha. The woman urged Alesha to eat, but Alesha hesitated, fearing them. The man approached her, picked her up, and said, "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you. Eat now, before the food gets cold." Alesha began to eat, thinking, "Maybe they're not so bad." After finishing her meal, the maid left, and the woman asked, "Child, are you full?" Alesha nodded and smiled. The man asked, "What's your name, child?" Alesha replied, "I'm Alesha Montague, and I'm 5 years old." The woman's eyes widened. "Alesha, what a lovely name! But Montague...that sounds familiar." The couple exchanged concerned glances. "Why were you alone on a snowy night?" Alesha hesitated before answering, "I...I ran away from home. I escaped from that prison!" Tears streamed down her face. The couple was shocked. The man thought, "What have they done to this poor child?" He asked Alesha, "Why were you imprisoned? Did your family commit a crime?" Alesha explained, "No, they just locked me up when I was a baby. They said my parents died before I was born. They only gave me bread, and I had to fight rats for it. They hurt me and said I'm bad luck." The room fell silent. The woman cried, "What they've done to you is horrific! They have no heart!" The man added, "They must be held accountable for their cruelty." He looked at Alesha and said, "Don't worry, child. You'll never go back to that place. Would you like to stay with us forever? We'll take care of you and give you everything you need." Alesha's eyes widened. "Really?" The man nodded. "We can't have children, so we'd love for you to be our daughter." Alesha beamed with joy. "Yes! I'd love to!" The couple hugged her tightly, overjoyed.
πTo be continued
π Plagiarism is crime
πWrong typos/grammar ahead
πPlease don't copy my story..
