Camellia
I 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
Tears rolled down my face in despair. He was going to kill me, his eyes said exactly that, I had no chance of surviving."I'm sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince," the treasurer said as he approached. He was shaking from head to toe, sweat already collecting on his forehead as he rubbed his hands together. "Since we weren't going to be long, I left the door open. I knew that Princess Camellia would come, as she had received permission from the emperor to go to the library to pick up some books."I was grateful that everyone in the castle knew where I was. The library was next to the treasurer's office, and the doors weren't very different, one with straight handles and the other with rounded ones. Theodore let go of me, pushed me to the floor, and then leaned forward with a frightening smile. He stepped on my ankle, causing a sharp pain that spread throughout my body. I wanted to scream, but I knew that would only make things worse. So I bit my lip and contained the pain."I don't c
A shaft of sunlight came through the narrow window in the stone wall, but it wasn't enough to warm up the cold, damp cell. I no longer wore my dress; instead, I was given a simple gown made of a coarse, scratchy fabric. I barely received a decent meal, just the bare least to keep me alive until the day of my execution.I lost track of time. Every day was the same, full of darkness and pain that came in many forms. When the inquisitors arrived, it was the worst day of my life. I faced the same atrocities that should have been eradicated from the empire a long time ago and which only appeared in old history books. I was subjected to torture with hot irons, needles, and water towels, and my nails were pulled out one by one, all in an attempt to force me to confess that I was a witch.All the people I trusted and considered friends turned against me. Laura was the first to reveal her true nature. Every letter I sent to the Grand Duke was delivered to the Crown Prince by Laura. She had acc
As if I had been thrown and fallen to the ground, I woke up gasping and frightened. Immediately, I brought my hands to my neck, the sensation of the cold iron still vivid in my mind and body. I was shaking uncontrollably, my eyes blurred by unshed tears. I looked at my hands, clean, and smooth, my nails long, and well-manicured. I couldn't understand what was happening. Was it all a dream? A hallucination? Or perhaps a warning of the future that awaited me? I hugged my body, trying to contain the incessant shaking, and then the sound of a door alerted me. Looking around, I realized I was in the imperial library, several books before me on the beautiful dark wooden table. An imposing figure appeared and stopped for a moment in front of me, I raised my eyes to see the handsome figure of Grand Duke William Valois.With a bow, William lowered his head and placed his hand on his chest. "I greet the first princess of the empire of Arventia, Your Highness, Princess Camellia Arventia."I stoo
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
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
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.
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
"I'm sorry," William looked at me in shock and with his face slightly flushed, "I don't think I understood you correctly. Did you just propose to me?" I felt my face heating up and covered it with my hands, turning sideways and avoiding William's eyes.I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, William was covering his mouth with his hand, also looking forward with his face flushed. At that moment, I realized the extent of what I had said to him and how he had received those words. I needed to explain my intentions clearly and quickly to him, so, even though I was very embarrassed, I turned to face William and drew his attention to me by lightly touching his arm."It may seem a little strange, as we haven't exchanged more than a few words, but what I'd like to do is sign a contract with you." William looked at me suspiciously."What do you mean by a contract?" My heart raced even more, William was already looking at me evasively."You will be sent to the battlefield soon, the Empero
The morning after the ball, I ordered the soldier to be brought to my palace, but no one could find him. The only information I got was that the soldier had been sent to escort the future crown princess. After what had happened, with the soldier defending me and overriding the crown prince's authority, it was very strange to have that kind of information.I would deal with the situation later, that morning I had an appointment at the hospital. This time I had a very well-defined plan for my revenge against the emperor, and everything depended on my meeting with William that day. Just as I was getting ready to leave, a maid emerged, demanding that my lady-in-waiting follow her. That was a wake-up call for me, as the memory of that day hit me immediately.My nanny had disappeared, in her place was the maid who had betrayed me, and I was locked in my room as punishment for what had happened at the ball. I got up, and the maid who had come to my room looked at me with disgust. I approache
I thought William was just going to go with me to the coach, but when he got in just after I did and closed the door, I was shocked. I looked around, but no one appeared, so the coach started to move, and I found myself trapped in that enclosed space with William, sitting comfortably in front of me with his arms and legs crossed and looking out of the small window at the scenery outside.Moreover, I didn't know what to say, I'd never been in such a situation with a man before. I pressed my hands into the soft fabric of my dress, my heart racing even more as I could smell the fragrance William was wearing."About what you said earlier," William's voice broke through the silence, surprising me. "About needing to use different strategies to face different enemies. When it comes to the battlefield, I know how my enemies will try to attack me, and I intercept them, but the court is something completely different."I felt my nervousness diminishing and my body relaxing. I looked out through
My legs were trembling as I walked. Despite my composure, I was petrified of what Theodore and the Emperor could do to me at the ball, especially now that I had arrived immediately after him, holding hands with the Grand Duke.As I came to this realization, William gently squeezed my hand, indicating his support. We stood before the imperial family, and I couldn't even glance at them. I simply kept a straight face and bowed gracefully."I greet His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Donovan Arventia. May the blessings of Eonora fall upon his imperial majesty," William and I said simultaneously."You may go," the emperor said angrily.We walked quietly, and for once William didn't leave my side, instead leading me to a quieter area, away from the Emperor and Theodore's cold stares. The rest of the nobles had arrived, and they all looked over to see where we were.Standing next to William in silence felt awkward, but I didn't want to say something strange to start the conversation. Even though I
The dresses presented by the dressmaker exceeded all my expectations, and they just needed to be molded to my measurements. When they were ready, I would be informed, and my maid of honor would go to the shop to collect them. I couldn't take any chances with those dresses, as they had cost me all my savings, along with jewelry and shoes.We returned to the palace, and I noticed a carriage stopped right in front of the main door. I didn't remember receiving any visitors in the days leading up to the ball, and this change put me on full alert. I had argued with Theodore, and this could well be some kind of punishment awaiting me.As we approached, the carriage door opened, and Isabella Montague stepped out wearing a black robe. The sun was high in the sky, and the sight of that young noblewoman trying to hide in broad daylight in a black robe and stepping out of an extravagant carriage was comical. She made a simple curtsy, without correctly greeting me."Princess, I would like to excha