The princess's reportWilliamI couldn't stay much longer in front of the princess. The marks on her neck were clear and physical proof that the princess had suffered an attempt on her life. I clenched my hands into fists and walked with the soldiers who had hidden her, along with Roland. Several questions began to swirl in my mind, especially why Princess Camellia was on my land in those terrible conditions.I needed to clear up all the doubts that were consuming me. I turned to my commander, who immediately bowed. "I need you to find out everything about the attack on Princess Camellia Arventia's palace, and I also want you to do it personally. There's no one I trust more than you, old friend."Roland Blackthorn was one of the most talented soldiers in the duchy, his m
William VeloisGrand Duke William Valois,I write to you with great hesitation. It is clear that your persistence in this inappropriate relationship with Princess Camellia, driven by your lack of common sense and judgment, is disappointing.The Princess has been the subject of debates at the imperial court, and it is a fact that she is mentally unstable. She is a burden that no intelligent man would choose to carry. It is foolish to think that this marriage will be a happy one, revealing a lack of foresight.As for the dowry, the lack of wealth she will bring to the union is a reflection of her family's decadence. This will be a stain on your reputation, Grand Duke, and a constant reminder that you have descended to unacceptable levels in your quest for power.
CamelliaI wanted to talk to William, to explain everything that was going on, but every time I asked to meet him, the butler would come up with some excuse. I waited until dinner, but he didn't turn up, saying he had too much work to do. Furthermore, I was just a guest, I had no right to demand his attention or anything else.In the morning, I tried to meet William again, but the maids stopped me. "Wouldn't His Highness like to have tea in the gardens?" a young maid said as she stood in my way, blocking the door.I sighed, accepting that William needed some time to trust me. "That sounds like a good idea, thank you."The maids looked at me in shock. I understood that as well as the people of the north not trusting me because I was the princess of the empir
Report 2 William While I was away, Cedric kept me informed about the activities inside the castle. I made it clear that no one was to mistreat her, after all, she was still the first princess of the empire. No matter how much the people of the north resented the imperial family, they would never go against my orders. As soon as I arrived in the capital, I went straight to meet the man in charge of the hospital on the outskirts, a doctor called Jonathan Hans. I wanted to know what his relationship was with the princess and what he could tell me about her. No one knew I was in the capital, and I wanted it to stay that way, so I made an appointment with the doctor posing as a wanderer. I arrived at the small inn, dirty and full of people from the outskirts of town. I sa
A gentle breeze was blowing on that warm spring day, bringing a pleasant feeling. The streets were decorated for the festival commemorating the founding of the Arventia empire. The people were happy and prosperous thanks to Emperor Donovan Arventia, Crown Prince Theodore Arventia, and First Princess Camellia Arventia ruling them. That was the official word from the court, but it wasn't trueI had a privileged education, with excellent teachers and access to experts from other kingdoms whenever I needed to learn something that wasn't available locally. But, life in the palace was different from popular perception - it wasn't all fancy dress, tea parties, and balls, nor was it full of sycophantic nobles.After the empress died, leaving no children, the emperor chose my mother as his consort. She was the daughter of a wealthy marquis and was known throughout the empire for her beauty. But, after giving birth to Princess Camellia, her only child from a loveless marriage, she died mysterio
"The first princess of the Arventia Empire, Camellia Arventia," the man by the door announced.The doors opened, the bright light blinding me for a moment. The hall was completely silent as everyone stared at me. The whispering grew as I walked towards the imperial family, seated on their thrones in the most prominent position in the great hall. I didn't allow myself to lower my head, I kept walking with difficulty, but always kept my eyes on my goal. Theodore's mother was standing just behind the emperor, looking at me with a cruel smile on her lips. The emperor looked at me with total disgust, and Theodore laughed openly, to the point of hugging his belly like a child. I felt humiliated and just wanted to get out of that place, to which I didn't belong.I stopped in front of the lathe, bowed with perfection and grace, as I had been trained to do since I was born. "I salute His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Donovan Arventia. May blessings and Eonora fall upon his imperial majesty," I sai
I was locked in my chambers all day after the ball, not allowed to walk around the palace. My meals were reduced as punishment for flirting with the Grand Duke of Valois. It was then that I realized that my father, the Emperor, had a much greater animosity towards the Grand Duke than the mere succession to the throne.I spent the whole day reading books in my room. The next morning, I was getting ready alone and a maid I didn't know came in. She curtsied, smiled, and introduced herself as my new personal maid. Her behavior surprised me because no one wanted to serve me in my palace, leaving me alone."Did the emperor send you to watch me?" I asked, sadness already rooted in my heart.The maid, whose name was Laura, smiled sweetly at me: "I applied to serve you, Your Highness."At first, I didn't trust Laura. But over time, she became very kind to me. She helped me brush my long hair and complimented its unique color. It was then that I began to appreciate my green eyes and dark red ha
I had never written to anyone before, especially not to an elegant man like the Grand Duke. His letters were always interesting and friendly, and we chatted about various subjects. He didn't mind that I wasn't as intelligent as the others and even asked my opinion on some subjects.It was unsettling at first, but the Grand Duke and I agreed to call each other by our names, without titles, so that our letters wouldn't be seen as treason. When I saw my name written in his exquisite handwriting, a pleasant and unique feeling came over me. It felt like we were a couple or something.I would have liked him to write more, but I knew the circumstances. But, I was confused about the real causes of the conflict. Weeks passed and William's communication was limited because he was on the battlefield. It seemed that a group of rebels, together with foreign kingdoms, intended to overthrow the empire. The Grand Duke's deployment to the front line was to prove his loyalty to the imperial family and