It was around afternoon when Fara told me that the banquet for the celebration of Hades's 16th birthday will be today.
That's why I am here right now, sitting in front of the mirror while Fara was doing my hair.
My twelve-year-old appearance is exactly the same as what I remember, a beauty of a young lady.
There's nothing new, I still have the beauty that can seduce other men. My eyebrows furrowed when Pursues's face suddenly flashed inside my mind, that night when he kissed my hand.
"Fara," I called.
"Yes, your Highness?" she answered. She's still not yet done doing my hair.
"What do you think of me? Am I pretty?" I asked.
She looked on the mirror, seeing my face before her eyes went back to my hair. "You're not just pretty your Highness, you're the most gorgeous among the noble ladies."
I pouted. "It's not like you've seen all the noble ladies." Especially that woman, the woman I've been waiting to see.
"I've seen all of them your Highness, but you're the lady who caught my eyes. You have the eyes of a perfect emerald that is quite expressionless, but surely you'll get drowned because it's fantastically gorgeous." It was a sincere answer that I do not know what to say, as if she was always been staring at me for a long time.
She finished my hair and already did finished doing my face using light make-up.
I am wearing a wine red baroque off-shoulder dress together with the folded red epaulets and silver garment coat on my back.
Hades sent me these jeweled headpiece and jewelries. A silver aphrodite tiara that is exactly what I am expecting since the theme of the banquet was red and white.
I like to put together my outfits with any accessory that looks like it pops or stands out. I love pieces that are colorful and outspoken.
When I finished looking at myself on the mirror, I plastered a convincing smile before I left the room.
Things are to be expected since I already know what will happen today, the difference is that I am living inside the palace.
I can always roam around as much as I want, there's nothing to lose.
"Fara," I called.
Fara forwarded and bowed. "Yes, your Highness?" she answered.
I lowered my head on her left ear's direction and whispered.
"I have a task for you." I told her to do 'this' and 'that'. It's a task that would help me to extract my plan today, since this banquet will be the entrance of my revenge.
When I reached the banquet hall, the serenade from the instruments are making the banquet looks exactly as the same as what I expected.
The faces of the nobles, the haunted voices entering my ears, and the music from the instruments. The way the pianist played his fingers are exactly the same, the corner of the catering, the lights from the chandelier, and the table where my parents are all the same from the past.
I chuckled silently thinking how everything is still vivid inside my mind.
I breathe heavily before I formed a smile waving my hands on my parents's direction who was looking at me.
When I reached their table, I immediately hugged them and gave them a peck of kiss on their cheeks.
"I've missed you Mama and Papa," I said.
Mother caressed my cheeks before she pulled me in her arms. "Ah, my daughter... I missed you very much."
When I broke from her embrace, I saw how her eyes glittered with longing and happiness.
My head moved on my father's direction and I chuckled when he winked at me before he kissed my hand.
"You've grown Darling," Father said.
I shook my head. "I'm still your little lady Papa, I've never been this happy since I last saw you. I've missed you both," I says with longing.
"Captain Raynold! It's been a while." Father's eyes moved on my back's direction and when I turned around, I saw him.
Captain of the Imperial knights, Raynold Lagaré.
I couldn't take off my eyes from him, following his movements when he walked closely to my Father's direction.
Captain Raynold gave a slight bow before he smiled. "It's been a while Duke D'aureville," he greeted.
Father and captain Raynold were close since they were still a kid, they both even fell in love with my mother but captain Raynold chose his position as the captain instead of pursuing my mother.
It was a slight unexpected when I heard that story, it's not like I don't believe it but it's really hard to see it in your eyes when Captain Raynold seems to value his knights over love.
"You've grown well Talia." My eyes blinked for a moment before I plastered a smile.
"Thank you Sir Raynold, I've never had the chance to see you since I was kid." No, since that day when he was killed protecting us, I never had the chance to thank him.
He chuckled. "There's no doubt, you're exactly the most beautiful lady in this banquet. You deserve your title your Highness," he said.
It feels like something deep inside me keeps knocking me to tell him how thankful I am, but I can't. Since it was a past that only I could remember.
"Thank you, Sir Raynold." Right, thank you for everything you've done. I will protect you too, in exchange of what you've done for us.
I will never let you down. The throne? That will be mine, I will win this game.
Hades was holding my hand when we walked on the red carpet at the centre of the banquet hall. The nobles with their proud and envy eyes are all focused on us.
In the past, their looks would make me flutter and proud since I have the thought of 'Everything is mine' especially their attentions, but now it's different. I no longer feel anything, it's already empty.
When we reached at the royalty seats, my eyes looked in Pursues direction who was looking at me too. We both have a slight smile with each before I avoided my eyes from his.
The Banquet was exactly the same, the boring pictures of the nobles talking with each, having a deal, and even ladies and men interacting with each other.
They all started to dance with their partners when the music changed, all of them looks happy and contented with each other.
Hades held my hand before pulling me up and led me on the center where the other nobles are dancing.
"I don't know how to dance your Highness," I whispered.
"That's fine, I'll never let you go." Before I could give him my reaction, he started to dance holding my waist careful.
My eyes were following his movement, how he hold my hand caressing my waist. How he dance carefully in rhythm with the music.
Why do I feel like this? This dance, it never happened.
His first dance wasn't me, but her.
The door suddenly opened and a servants of five entered before the woman with the white long-skinned dress entered.
My lips parted before I smirked. I felt how my body trembled not because of fear, but because of my anger keeps rising.
Hades stopped and followed where my head was looking. She let out a smile when their eyes met before she bowed holding her skirt properly, it's like she's showing off her good etique she learned.
"Greetings to the future Sun of the Sylvestre Empire, I am Madolina Seleste."
That was exactly the same word I heard from the past. How she gave that angelic smile, how she plastered her innocent face.
I looked at Hades with my cold expression, I know what he's going to say.
That 'It's nice to meet you the lady of the noble Seleste' with a smile on his face.
Pathetic, this is pathetic—
"Why did you stopped?"
Huh?
My eyebrows furrowed when his head went back on me. "Why did you stopped dancing Talia?" he asked.
What? What is he saying? I moved my head in Madolina's direction and I saw how her expression changed.
I laughed bitterly, there's really something wrong with what is happening.
Why is he like this?
He gripped my waist to get my attention, he started to dance again. I was looking at him, dumbfounded. I couldn't even open my mouth, there's really something wrong that I do not understand.
What's new? Why is he acting like this?
When we finished the dance, we went back to our seat with silent. I no longer see Madolina, I don't know if this is true but how could Hades reject her?
My eyes landed on Fara hiding behind the wall, she was looking at me and I smirked when I saw her sign.
"Your Highness, may I go back to my chamber? I'm not really feeling well," I whispered on his ear.
He looked at me before he nodded. Before I could stand up, he held my hand making me stopped.
"Take care," he whispered making me shiver.
I was holding my skirt firmly as I ran across the hallway from the exit of the banquet hall. The only thing that matters for me is to do my revenge, to make them pay for what they've done in the past, but how could he act like that? What changed him? When I reached the hallway to the nearest entrance near the library, I saw Fara leaning against the wall and when her eyes found me, she immediately walk towards me. "Your Highness, the librarian already left and this place is already secured just like what you ordered." I removed my heels before entering the library. Fara was holding my heels before she locked the entrance door of the library. I immediately walked towards the area where the history books of the Sylvestre are kept. My eyes landed on the bookshelves with the crest of the Imperial Palace, it's exactly the same as the past. This area has always been a s
"It's a great morning my Lady," the Butler greeted before he led me inside the dining hall.I was welcomed by the two princes, Frontier Sylvestre and Caspian Sylvestre. They were eating silently when I entered the dining hall, it looks like they doesn't really give any interest to their surroundings.I silently sat down on the dining chair beside Caspian. I tried not to make a noise when I started lifting my spoon and knife to slice the steak."How old are you?"I paused when I heard Frontier's question. I looked at him and realized that he was looking at me, is he asking me about my age?"I'm twelve your Highness," I answered.His lips parted before giving me a slight smile. "I'm thirteen, Caspian is the same but I'm two months older than him. Do you like horse riding?" he asked.I shook my head before eating the spoon of sliced steak and broccoli. In the past, I always lo
I heard the loud noise from the outside realizing that father was already back from his trip. I immediately ran outside while holding the book I was reading and eventually saw my father entering with a child beside him. My eyebrows furrowed. "Father, who's that?" I asked trying to hide my irritation. His eyes found mine before he started to whimper like a puppy, what the hell? "He's going to be your brother," he answered before he carried the child on his arms. It's not like the child can't walk so why would father carry him. I scoffed before rolling my eyes. I can't believe it, that child? As my brother? It triggers me to pull his body away from my father's arm, I don't like him. "Honey, you're back." Mother went down from the stairs and stopped when her eyes found the child on father's arms. "He's Trevor honey, he's going to be our son." "Wait, Trejhan you didn't told me
We arrived at the Palace by the help of sir Ocea. He said that Hades receive the notice of my absence in the palace and thought that I was at the D'aureville manor.Fara was carrying Trevor on her arms, she insisted on carrying him since Trevor fell asleep when we were on the carriage."Thank your Sir Ocea," I said with a smile on my face.He seems to be in daze, I tried waving my hand in front of his face to wake him up.His eyes blinked for a moment before he bowed with panic. "It's a pleasure to serve you, your Highness."It appears that he needs a better rest since he's about to lose his energy.Fara was following my steps when we reached the entrance door of the Emerald Palace where I am staying. It's the palace that was given to me by Hades himself, a Palace for Princesses.I was about to open the door when suddenly Fara pulled me at the back of the wall near the pine trees.I hissed when I s
"What is that?" I stopped from writing when Fara entered, carrying a white box."It's an invitation for you your Highness," she answered and put the box on the table.I lowered my pen on the table before opening the box with dozen of invitation cards.I got to see myself feeling irritated because of the envelopes I am seeing right now.I checked the invitation cards one by one and realized that they are from different noble ladies. Those little girls only knows how to specialize their teacups and desserts on the table, I don't think I can learn anything from them.I finished checking the invitation cards and let out a sigh when I found nothing that caught my interest."Burn it all," I ordered.Fara removed the box together with the cards from my table before leaving my room.I stretched my arms before massaging my temple to ease my headache, I've been writing some important thin
I have to say that I quite regret what I did in Seleste's banquet. Since the day after that, another dozens of invitation cards arrived with notice that they actually heard what happened.I'm having a headache because of these cards I'm seeing, it would be really hard to deny their invitations since they already heard about me, attending the banquet of Seleste."Fara, have you heard about Hades?" I asked curiously."No your Highness," she answered.I barely have enough sleep and now I'm having a hard time seeing Hades in the palace. I was about to ask about these invitations to stop the palace from accepting.How can I even meet all of them? All of the invitations are all about tea parties, I don't know if I can even socialize with those little girls.I bit my lower lip before I slapped my forehead, this is too much of a headache."How about hosting a banquet your Highness?"I stopped a
"Master!" Trevor embraced my waist when I entered the room where he is staying. It looks like he's having a comfortable time with Fara since I haven't heard any bad reports coming from Fara's mouth. "I missed you master," he whispered. I just stood up and didn't respond. It was a busy day and I needed him to train, he needs to have physical knowledge about swords. "We're going somewhere Trevor," I said. He remained hugging my waist. "Where?" he asked. I tried to pull his arms circling around my waist but he was reluctant to let go. I took a deep breath and sigh. "It's a secret Trevor so let go of me and follow me," I answered. He was sulking when he let go from hugging my waist. I just shrugged off my thoughts and left the room together with him. We arrived at the backyard of the Emerald Palace seeing Fara and sir Ocea on their sparring uniform.
I was always sitting at the edge of the dining chair far from him as if I am stranger to him. He always say that he loves me that's why I pretend... He always promised that he won't leave me that's why I forget... He always promised that I will stand beside him that's why I trust... Everything I did was all because I love him. I created a large effort, I collect numerous of supports, and in exchange of that is losing my humanity. I kill to have better results, I made them beg on their knees because I know I'm powerful. I lost every emotions because I thought that love alone is fine. The most painful thing that happened to me was betrayal. "Talia we can still talk about this, please trust me. My brother doesn't love you, he's only using you!" "Shut up!" No matter what they say, no matter what they tell me that Hades doesn't love me, I won't believe it.