Voyage Of The Villainess

Duke Roman started to speak when he got everyone\'s attention on him.

"Before the celebration begins, I would like to give my appreciation to all the ladies and gentlemen who attend this very special day of my daughter. And to give her appreciation and remarks I would like to call my daughter, Malaya Venizever Marina." 

\'What?! No one told me that I need to give a speech!\' The bewildered young Malaya froze as cold sweats started to trickle at her back.

And what added to the tension, all of the people were now looking at her table with great intensity. She felt like she became prey to those predatorial stares.

"Malaya, father is calling you to the stage," Jules called out when he saw Malaya was not moving. 

"Ah! Yes." The young Malaya stood and started to head towards the stage. She didn\'t want to cause more trouble to her family so she hid her nervousness as best as she could. \'What should I speak?\' Her mind was racing in different thoughts she could speak to impress everyone and made her family proud of her.

But when she thought nothing could get worst, as she stepped on the second step of the stair through the stage. Something unexpected happened.

Her two-inch heels stepped on the hem of her long gown. And...

*Boogsh*

All the music stopped and the whole place became extremely painfully quiet. The young Malaya could feel her cheeks reddening at the accidental tripping as she heard multiple gasped. She landed on the stage blue carpet. \'What to do?!\' Her mind was now panicking instead of minding the pain of the fall.

"Malaya!" She could hear too the approaching voices of her worried family. \'No! I can\'t embarrass them just because I fall!\' But she stood up right away before anyone. \'Yes! That\'s right! I fall!\'

\'That\'s it!\'

"Malaya!" Her Father finally managed to get to her and checked if there were no serious injuries. 

"I\'m alright, Father. I apologize for my carelessness." Malaya said and before her father could speak, she spoke right away.

"In our life, there are times that we will fall just like what happened to me." She faced the crowd.

"Malaya?" Her father asked with a mixture of confusion and worry on his face.

"I got this now, father. It was an act." She smiled to reassure her father. Then she looked back with the crowd. Somehow with that fall, it alleviated all her nervousness now.

"But it isn\'t the end of the story. As long as you live, you have the opportunity to rise again. And there will be individuals, whether family or friends, who will assist you in standing on your own two feet again! Don\'t be ashamed of your trip—er, fall! But be proud of yourself! Because each time you recover from a fall, you get stronger! You become a better version of yourself..." She took a little pause before continuing.

"Exactly like our empire! During the warring times, even though we fell and lost so much, with the guidance of His Majesty, the Emperor, and all the people, we rose again stronger than any nation we have seen! That is why, as a citizen of this empire, I will never be weary of expressing this! All hail the Empire\'s Sun! Salute to the Hacien Empire!"

"All hail the Empire\'s Sun! Salute to the Hacien Empire!" All of the guesses followed after her. 

\'Now. No one would dare to find that fall embarring especially that I mix with the empire with this.\' A grin formed on the young Malaya\'s face.

"Thank you my dear esteemed guests for today. It\'s my great honor and pleasure for all of you to be able to attend my coming of age ceremony. I hope all of you enjoyed your day at this celebration." The young Malaya said as she courtesied. 

One applause was followed by multiple applauses. Duke Roman was also looking at Malaya with an expression. \'See these people! This is my daughter!\'

"Well spoken, Malaya,"

"Thank you, father," She said with a beaming smile on her face. 

Duke Roman faced the crowd again. "To all our esteemed guests! All of us, let\'s enjoy the celebration now." With that said, the music played once again. And the whole place became more lively than ever.

As Malaya walked down, all her siblings met with her with huge grins on their faces.

"Malaya! That was a splendid speech!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Darren said. "Or perhaps you really trip?" A taunting smirk formed on his face. 

"My lady here is another glass of mango juice," One of the maids immediately served them as they made it back to their table. 

"Of course, there is no way, I would shame myself for tripping with no reason," Malaya answered Darren.

"Oh really?" Jules this time joined them as he looked at Malaya with suspicion.

"It\'s true!" Malaya said with a pout, making her cheeks puffed.

"Hahaha. Alright." Jules said as he patted Malaya\'s head. "Just don\'t do that again or you might hurt yourself for real."

"Yes." Malaya nodded cheerfully as she enjoyed Jules\'s pat. Darren looked at them with envious. \'I want to be patted with big brother too.\'

"There. There." Cynthia messed Darren\'s hair seeing him being jelly with Malaya. "Only the magic awakening left," she added while Darren was trying his best to yanked Cynthia\'s hand from his head.

"Yes. And surely our little Malaya would do well with that." Jason said. "For now, would I have the honor to have my little sister\'s first dance?" 

Jules stood up as he lend his hand towards Malaya.

"Of course, brother!" Malaya agreed with great enthusiasm.

---⚓⚓⚓---

More time passed 

"Everyone! Now the time to witness the awakening of my daughter\'s magic has come." Duke Roman called the young Malaya once again on the stage. 

And all of her siblings gave her a reassuring look. As she walked towards the stage, Malaya\'s mind was only focused on one thing. \'I need to be extra careful.. will make sure that I would not trip again.\'