The cold air of December engulfed the palace grounds. The moon shone highly among the clear sky. Everything felt fine. The palace felt peaceful, amidst what its courtyard was about to witness.
"Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sayo? Walang namamagitan samin, parang kuya na ang turing ko sa kanya." she argued.
"Pano mo siya naging kuya kung hindi kayo magkadugo?!!" he shot back.
The wife stared at her husband and scoffed in disbelief. The prince also did not look at her, his gaze traveled to the river near them.
He let the streams wash away his temper. Sighing deeply, he turned to his wife. Her doe-like eyes stared at his soul. Those eyes haunted him.
"C-Carlos..." she approached him and took his hand.
He removed his hand from her grasp. He stared deeply into her eyes which held her melancholic gaze. Sighing deeply, he held a stoic expression.
"¿Está el bebé en tu vientre, es realmente mío?(Is the baby in your womb, is it really mine?)" he asked.
She stared at him furiously and sighed in distress. A stray tear fell from her cheek. He also looked vulnerable in his eyes.
"Sa kanya ba?" he asked pitifully but harshness was evident in his tone.
She slapped him in return.
"Cree lo que desee. No creerás nada de lo que digo de todos modos(Believe what you wish. You won't believe anything i say anyway)." she said placidly and attempted to leave.
Out of nowhere, Carlos grabbed her to the neck and held her over the edge of the river.
"Bawiin mo yung sinabi mo!" he said furiously.
The wife choked in agony as he tightened his grip on her delicate neck. He scoots closer to the edge.
"C-Carlo-" she choked.
"Bawiin mo yung sinabi mo!! Ngayon na!!!" he bellowed and pushed her towards the body of water. His wife shrieked in surprise.
She plunged deep into the water and struggled to stay afloat. Carlos stared at her blankly as she drowned in the water.
He slowly walked away and left her to drown. 
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The warm rays of the sun gently woke the new member of the royal family. She scoots over to the left and was given a kiss on the forehead by her husband.
"Good morning, misis ko." he whispers in her ear as he engulfed her in his arms. Anastasiya chuckles slightly as he pulls her closer to him.
"Sabik na sabik ka sakin ah?" Alejandro teases.
"A-Ano?" she asks in embarrassment.
"Halos hindi mo na ako patulugin." he whispers in her ear.
"Alejandro!" Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment as she hit him by the arm. 
"Pag ako makatulog sa trabaho mamaya, I'm blaming you," Alejandro teased and moved closer to his wife. He sealed the distance between them as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"Umaga na, General delos Cristales. Bumangon ka na, may pasok ka pa." Anastasiya soothingly whispered in her husband's ear
"Ang Stasiya na kilala ko ay mahinhin at di makabasag pinggan. I would have never thought I would live to see the day that you are wild." Alejandro pulls her by the waist and he stares at his wife. 
Kissing the alabaster skin of his wife, Alejandro's hands roamed around her body.
"General!" The blushing wife looked at her husband who was trying hard not to laugh. 
"One round wouldn't hurt, right? How about two?" 
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Anastasiya slowly got down from the kalesa that drove them to the main palace. The main palace was situated near the lake overlooking the waters of the royal grounds. Before heading into the banquet hall, the newly wedded couple came across Carlos and his family.
"Mama!!" the youngest of the children ran towards Anastasiya and held her arms up to be held. Maria Contessina looked away, and could clearly see the palace personnel gossiping already.
Anastasiya picked up Maria Beatriz and hoisted the 5-year-old princess in her arms. Carlos made the initiative to get his daughter.
"Beatriz, hindi siya ang mama mo. Pasensiya na, Anastasiya," he mutters an apology but Maria Letizia stayed put in her aunt's arms.
"A-Ayos lang po," 
The emperor and empress made their entrance and Anastasiya curtsied with Maria Letizia in her arms. The empress noticed Maria Letizia who was in the arms of the newest member of the royal family. Empress Evelina made her way towards them.
"Iha, ibaba mo na lang si Maria Letizia. Baka mangalay ka, may takong pa naman ang sapatos mo. Maaring bawasan mo ang takong ng sapatos mo at baka madisgrasya ka," the queen trailed off.
She set the youngest child down into the ground and smoothed her dress. The royal family has strict rules regarding how the ladies dressed. Anastasiya traded her NYC jeans fashion into a sophisticated conservative fashion of the royal family.
The royal family ate their breakfast in silence. Carlos stared at his new sister in law. There was something about her that he could not quite get a grip on. Her presence somehow bothered him, it was like she had been here in this room.
Her innocent gaze met his eyes. He then saw the resemblance:
His greatest horror was brought by the innocent chocolate brown eyes of his sister-in-law. Carlos blinked again, thinking he must be hallucinating.
He excused himself as he walked out onto the balcony of the main palace. The balcony overlooked the river and the shadows of the past once invaded the prince again.
Her corpse appeared in the water again. Her lifeless eyes stared at him, haunting him once again. He took out a cigarette and smoked to keep out of his trance-like state.
Alejandro appeared behind him.
"Kuya." Alejandro made his presence known.
Carlos offered a cigarette but his younger brother declined. The two princes of the nation looked at the river that was so peaceful again.
"Sa lahat ng pwedeng babae, bakit pa yung kamukha niya ang mapapangasawa mo." Carlos said in a low voice. 
Alejandro looked at his older brother, apprehensively. 
"I did not see the resemblance, Kuya," Alejandro said as he kept his gaze on his older brother.
"Naririnig ko pa din ang mga pangyayari, i could hear her screams." he looked away and faced the river. "Ang katahimikan pagkatapos ng pangyayari ang hindi ko lubos na makalimutan."
"Ya no eras un niño(You were no longer a boy)" Carlos interjects and his brother just sighed.
The river flowed differently during that night. A new wind blowed that December, five yuletide seasons ago. It was the same wind that drove the youngest prince to leave the country. 
"Baka nagkakamali ka lang, Kuy-" he was cut off by Carlos.
"Hindi mo ba maalala, Alejandro?" Carlos looked at his brother gravely.
Alejandro avoided his gaze. Carlos inhaled sharply and stares at his younger brother.
"Hilingin mo na hindi siya nakakaalala sa nangyari." he whispers dangerously. "Oh baka hindi mo namamalayang dahan dahan ka na palang napapaikot ng kalaban."
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While the men busied themselves in the affairs of the state in the Real Audencia. The ladies had their own separate gatherings as well. It was a function event that ladies were to embroider and have tea. 
"¡Sus flores pintadas bordadas cobrar vida! Napakagaling naman ni Contessina, isa siyang ehemplong inang filipina. (Her painted flowers seem to come alive!)" a lady commented.
Anastasiya stayed by the corner and tried to do the embroidery quietly. She accidentally pricked her finger with the embroidery needle. Her lady in waiting rushed towards Anastasiya and gave her the handkerchief.
Anastasiya was not used to the traditional lifestyle of her home country. The traditional setting of the adapted Spanish colonialization was a stark contrast to the carefree and modern culture of New York where she grew up in.
"Su Alteza... (Your Highness)"
The lady who was clad in silk and jewelry caught Anastasiya's attention. The new member of the royal family quickly asserts that the lady in front of her is one of the nobility. Unlike her sister-in-law, this lady does not look at her with scrutiny.
"Hindi ka sanay sa buhay ng isang babaeng Filipina?" the lady quickly asks and Anastasiya just shook her head. The lady sat beside Anastasiya.
"Dolores," the woman named Dolores held her hand out to Anastasiya. The new member of the royal family gladly accepted the newfound friend's gesture.
"Tapat na maglilingkod sa iyo, Binibining Anastasiya." Dolores' eyes glinted in the sunlight. However, this lady that Anastasiya trusted was a sly fox.
Dolores de la Cruz was a lady who also wanted power. With a husband she deemed indispensable, she is certainly looking for a way to have a taste of that power.
The innocent Anastasiya was her ticket to her success. It was much easier than trying to befriend Maria Contessina who was cold and aloof to the public. Dolores will dispose of the new member of the royal family when she doesn't need her anymore. For now, she's doing her best to get her clutches on Anastasiya, who was trusting as a lamb.
She could use Anastasiya for her own good, but for now, Dolores will adhere to her wishes first.
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The education young girls have in the palace was far different from the modern world they live in today. Young girls like the daughters of the crown prince Carlos learned to embroider and proper etiquette. His children were given governesses instead of going to school with other children.
The oldest sat near the window, reading books. Though political books are not meant for young girls. Maria Aleta devoured the book with such interest in the politics of the court.
"Ate Aleta," Maria Beatriz pestered the oldest who was deeply absorbed in the book. Before Maria Aleta could say anything, their mother walked in. Maria Aleta did not mind her presence and continued reading.
"Iha, ¿dónde está tu bordado? (Iha, where is your embroidery)" Maria Contessina asks as she made her way towards the eldest princess. Maria Aleta gave her the hoop which holds her embroidery work.
Maria Contessina inspected the 10-year old's needlework. Flowers in her embroidery seem to come alive as every color was vibrant and pleasing to the eye as well. The mistress of the Casa Byzantina flipped it towards its underside.
"Napakadumi ng gawa mo." She said placidly as she eyed the eldest princess.
"Ang pagbuburda ay hindi lang dapat maganda at nakapag aaliw sa mata ang disenyo ngunit dapat malinis at pulido ang likuran ng binurdahan. Mag ensayo ka pa, hindi puro libro ang inaatupag mo." Maria Contessina lectures the eldest who dared not to look at her in the eye. It was for the better, as rage could be seen in the eyes of Maria Aleta.
Carlos then enters the room after settling some affairs in the Real Audencia. Sensing the tension, he quickly tries to rectify the situation.
"Mukhang mag isa lang ata ang Tita Anastasiya nyo sa bahay nila? Bisitahin nyo kaya siya,." Carlos said and gave a look at the maids caring for his three children.
The three children were ushered out of the room. Maria Contessina was left with Carlos who gazed out of the big window that overlooked the castle grounds.
"Sampung taong gulang na si Maria Aleta. Dapat seryosohin niya na ang pagiging isang ehemplo ng lipunan na ito." Maria Contessina says.
"Kahit kailan naman talaga ay hindi ka makikinig sa akin di ba?" Carlos asks and Maria Contessina rolls her eyes.
"Dapat maging responsable na siya, Carlos. Huwag mong i-baby si Aleta." The mistress of the house said to her husband. Carlos slowly walks towards where she was seated.
"Hindi ko binibaby ang panganay ko. Hayaan mo munang magpakasaya siya sa pagkabata niya. Hayaan mo siyang magbasa kung iyon talaga ang gusto niya." He placed his two fingers underneath her chin and lifted up her face.
"Dahil nasa Casa Ladrillo naman ang mga bata, nais mo bang mamasyal tayo?" he offered his hand and Maria Contessina just took it.