The princess's second chance

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 true.

I 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 differed 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 mysteriously. Everyone has rejected me since I was born, leading the empire to mourn once again. The emperor’s wife was poisoned, but no one investigated who committed such a terrible act against a young mother who had recently given birth to her daughter.

I grew up in a distant palace, where I was paid enough to survive and had few servants to help me. So I learned to be self-sufficient from a very young age. My expenses were limited, while the crown prince and his mother, the emperor’s beloved concubine, had an endless supply of money. My nanny was the only person who showed genuine affection, sharing stories and looking after me. When she realized that I was very intelligent for my age, she told my father, the emperor, who looked at me curiously for the first time. When he understood my intelligence, my studies began. As my knowledge grew, I received more funds, hired servants, and was always given new books, but my father never gave me any attention or affection.

I was studying at a table in the extensive library, lost in thought, when a man approached me. He was a tall man with an imposing look, a little intimidating due to his muscular physique. His black hair was combed back, revealing his bright, icy blue eyes with a prominent chin. He was a very handsome man. He wore elegant clothes with precious stones, which led me to believe that he was a high-ranking nobleman invited by the emperor. I was embarrassed when that man saw me, so I hid among the bookshelves until he left. Later, I discovered that he was my father’s cousin, the Grand Duke William Valois.

I was dreaming, my arms full of books and my mind filled with images of that handsome and intriguing man. Furthermore, I wasn’t paying attention to my path and ended up bumping into someone. Before I could apologize, the powerful impact on my face surprised me and made me fall to the ground.

“You stupid girl! Now I’m going to have to change my clothes because you’ve soiled them.” Theodore said, his voice filled with fury. I kept my head down on the floor. I had learned a long time ago that Theodore’s fury could be lessened if I just kept my eyes on the floor while he insulted me in front of the servants, who just whispered and laughed at me behind my back.

Furthermore, I heard the sound of Theodore’s boots moving away, so I looked up just in time to see him turn into a corridor. I gathered my books and ran back to my room, locking myself in.

The abuse wasn’t limited to my older brother. Some maids also abused me when my nanny wasn’t around, pulling my hair when she combed it, or poking me with their brooches. These were always small things that could be taken as simple accidents during their work.

Fortunately, the emperor allowed me to do charity work outside the palace once or twice a week, at the temple of Eonora, the goddess of eternity. This place of serenity was my favorite spot because of its distance from the imperial palace. That day, but my haven of peace was to be disturbed. The crown prince’s group visited the temple to offer gifts and ask the priests for help. I put on a cloak while helping out in the temple gardens and prayed for Theodore’s speedy departure, but my prayers didn’t work.

“Today is a shitty day for me,” said the prince, horrifying the priests with his blunt words. I stood up and bowed.

“I salute his imperial highness, Crown Prince Theodore Arventia. May the blessings of Eonora fall upon your Highness,” I said, trying to keep my head down. I felt Theodore’s hand on my head, pushing down hard until I fell to my knees on the floor.

“This is your place, you useless thing, don’t ever forget it,” said Theodore, then he grabbed my hair and lifted me. I struggled to free myself, and in my stupid desperation, I scratched Theodore’s hand, who released me to see his beautiful white skin with a strong red trail.

Anyone who saw Theodore would believe he was an angel just by his appearance. A tall, slender man with long golden hair and large ice-blue eyes, the trademark of members of the imperial family. As luck would have it, I inherited my mother’s unique eyes, which were a dark green. My ugly reddish-brown hair stood out everywhere I went, even if I covered it with a scarf.

“Stop playing the victim and get up at once,” Theodore said, startling me out of my reverie. Once again, he grabbed me by the hair, and some priests tried to stop them, but I didn’t allow it, waving my hand so that they wouldn’t come any closer. “Go back to your pigsty and stop embarrassing our family by appearing in this deplorable condition in the presence of other nobles visiting the temple.” Theodore threw me aside, and I fell, hurting my knees in the fall, and then he left.

Before I left, I prayed that the Goddess would transform Theodore into a worthy emperor, making him benevolent, just, and loved by the citizens of the empire.

When I received permission to leave once again, a peculiar fear overwhelmed me, for I feared that Theodore might confront me and embarrass me once again.

A ball was scheduled to celebrate the crown prince’s engagement to Isabella de Montague, daughter of the Marquis de Montague. Whenever I tried to talk to her, Theodore got angry and punished me by locking me up without food. Luckily, my nanny gave me some stale bread and water.

Isabella was lovely, but she seemed frightened when Theodore was around. The next morning, the maids came to dress me for the Crown Prince and Miss Isabella’s engagement party, bringing dresses, shoes, and jewelry. Something inside me told me not to go, but I had no choice. As princess of the empire, I was obliged to attend important celebrations. I examined the dresses that had been sent to me and found that they were all old and worn out. The shoes didn’t fit me well either. They were either too big or painfully small. The chambermaids laughed as I searched for a suitable dress to wear to the ball among the few options.

The jewelry was of poor quality, with broken and missing stones. They looked like pieces that should have been thrown away but were sent for me to wear. I shuddered at the thought of what might happen at the ball, seeing the noblemen’s looks of shame at me. They saw me as a foolish woman who should be hidden from society, since something had properly presented me when I came of age. I was almost twenty, and no one had asked me to marry them. I wasn’t allowed to go to many events, which made it difficult to meet someone my age or find a suitable husband.

That ball would be my last chance, as they forbid me to take part in the previous stages of the engagement celebration, such as the prayers in the temple and the royal banquet. I could only attend the public presentation of the crown prince and princess. I was glad they let me take part, as it brought me one step closer to being accepted by everyone.

Furthermore, I dressed myself because none of the maids, except my nanny, wanted to help. I chose a bright yellow dress that stood out because it was the only one in good condition, even though it was very old and out of fashion. I couldn’t find a matching necklace, so I wore a purple stone hair clip with small opaque diamonds. All I wanted to do was lock myself in my room and cry all night instead of going to the ball. But if I didn’t show up, I might upset the emperor. I walked through the palace corridors, my body trembling, my feet throbbing from the tight shoes, but I held my head high. I reminded myself that I was still the princess of the important Arventia Empire, Camellia Arventia. Furthermore, I stood in front of the large, ominous gates. I took a moment to gather my courage before entering the deadliest battle I had ever faced.

“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 they had trained me to do since I was born. “I salute His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Donovan Arventia. May blessings and Eonora fall upon his imperial