After visiting and instructing Luke, the man had a bitter taste in his mouth as he remembered the events that happened six years ago.
“He could have been mine right now if Luke had not disobeyed my orders.”
He sat down, trying to calm himself as he waved his hand to his maid, indicating that he needed wine to drink. The maid hurriedly prepared the drink for her master.
“Phil would have disposed of his son after going mad, what a waste. Such a waste, a new breakthrough would have been made. Tsk, Luke’s blood was not enough. I need more imperial blood samples.”
The man mumbled to himself as he took a sip of the wine prepared for him.
“There must have been something missing. Luke is still the same, although he made valuable progress when he was twelve, he remained stagnant after that. And each day, his becoming more in control of himself.”
He closed his eyes to think, “Stone… check…blood samples…check… Aargh!!!”
The man lost his patience as he stood up and throw the glass he was holding across the room. The maid at the corner flinched but made no other sound.
“I know I could have made progress if that boy is mine! Curse you, Luke!”
The man rubbed his temples trying to calm himself again then he looked at his maid.
“You there, what’s your name?”
The maid looked down and answered softly.
The man walked towards the maid and pulled her hair and forced her to look up at him, “Can you not hear me?! What. Is. Your. Name?! Do you dare not answer me?”
“I-I ha-have no name, M-y Lord.”
The man let go of her hair and smiled menacingly at her.
“Ah, yes. You’re a slave. Well, it does not matter whether you have a name or not.” He touched her chin and cheeks.
“You better be strong enough. The others were so weak, that no offspring sprang forth. Tsk, tsk.”
He inspected the maid again, this time with a look of approval.
“You are beautiful enough I guess.”
He then touched her arms, breast, and butt. “Quite plump too. I guess you’ll do.”
The man stepped backward and inspected the maid again from head to toe, “Now strip.”
“M-my L-lord?”
“Are you deaf? I said strip, NOW!”
The maid had no choice but to strip. She was only a slave bought and used and this was not the first time she was used like this.
She did not know where she was, or who she was. She did not even know the name of her master for she was secretly delivered here. There were only 10 servants inside this mansion, all of them were slaves captured from different countries. All of them were just like her, with no knowledge about the place they were sold off to. She concluded that this mansion is only a secret territory of his master. He is hiding his real identity, even to them.
She stared at the ceiling as her master proceeded to do nasty things to her body. She felt the pain from her lower part of the body as her master forced himself inside her, but she could not even protest.
She heard from the other servants around three maids already died due to not being strong enough when carrying their master’s child inside their womb. ‘Will I also be one of them, months from now?’ She thought to herself.
“What are you? A doll?! Move you good for nothing! You’re not satisfying me!”
Obediently, she did what her master asked her to do, but she never stopped wondering when she will see the light of day with no shackles on her legs, on her neck, or on her hands.
‘Although I am physically free inside this mansion, I am still a bird inside a cage.’
*****
Who would have thought entertaining guests would be such a hassle? After we welcomed the guests, the maids proceeded to dress me up for the ceremony.
Cecil prepared a white dress that would go with the silver whip that Ashnor gave to me years ago. At first, Cecil went against my wishes to bring the whip with me, but I forced her to agree with me.
The whip was modified to be used by me, and after three years of training, I am somewhat skilled in using the whip. Not only that, I practiced how to use a dagger.
I don’t know why my grandfather allowed me to take these classes when I first asked him. Others were horrified by the thought of me holding weapons but grandfather always reminded them about the incident.
“The children must learn how to defend themselves when worse comes to worst.”
This is what he always said to our teachers. Fae learned the basics of swordsmanship but she requested to drop out after days of training.
“Okay princess, we’re done.”
I looked at myself in the mirror with Cecil beside me, “Who is the prettiest princess in the world?” Cecil beautifully smiled at me through the mirror.
“Ugh, Cecil I’m no longer a baby, I’m already eight.”
“I know my princess, but you’re not yet an adult so you’re technically still a baby.” With that she squat beside me and gave me a kiss on my cheek.
I smiled embarrassingly at her as she locked the white belt where the whip would be put.
“Well, the whip looks like a fashion design so I guess it’s still okay. But princess, please do not use the whip unless very necessary.”
Then she leaned close to my ears and whispered, “But if someone starts insulting you, then I guess that can be considered as ‘necessary’.”
At that, we laughed together, “I will keep that in mind.” Then I winked at her.
“It’s almost time for the ceremony to start. I heard the stalls are all ready and the podium is already set and decorated.”
We then proceeded outside where a carriage is waiting for us.
The princes were already inside their respective carriages, with their families, waiting for the caravan to move.
Other nobles were also inside their carriage behind ours.
The ceremony includes a parade around the capital and would stop at the center where the ceremony will take place.
“Fifi! Are you coming with me?” Ashwin shouted from his carriage.
“Ashwin! You must not shout.” I heard Lucil scold him from the inside.
“You must act with dignity Ashwin,” this time Ashnor was the one who scolded him.
“This way princess,” Ser Wayne gently offered his hand to me and escorted me to my carriage.
“Thank you, Ser Wayne,” I smiled at him.
“You are very most welcome, Princess.”
I sat down and looked outside at Cecil as she smiled at me.
“I will be outside if you need me,” Ser Wayne got on his horse beside my carriage.
Each carriage has its respective knight guard who will be following closely behind. My knight guard is Ser Wayne.
I leaned down and scanned the carriage, it feels empty with just me inside.
The princes’ carriages were full of their siblings and parents, while mine is empty.
“I wish Cecil was here with me,” I whispered to myself.
Then suddenly the carriage door opened, “Am I not good enough to be in your presence, my dear Princess?”
The emperor, my grandfather, looked at me with a jokingly hurt expression.
“Grandpa!” I stood up and hugged him as he entered the carriage.
“It’s good to see you too, Fliz.”
Grandfather and we, the children, became closer and closer. Even Lucil and Emilia were shocked to see their father casually mingling with us every now and then.
No one knows why the emperor suddenly had a change in behavior in the way he’s dealing with his familial relationship, but I did not bother to question.
I somehow knew the reason why he changed his behavior towards us, there are times that I caught grandpa looking at us, especially me, with a sad expression, as if we’ll die in front of him any time now. Maybe he just doesn’t want to lose us after the incident that happened six years ago.
Grandpa put me on his lap although the carriage is big enough for me to sit anywhere.
“With this, you can now see through the window,” He smiled lovingly at me as he pushed the curtains to the side.
Aside from my cousins and aunts, the emperor was the one close to a father figure to me. So, I made the most out of it. I chose to be selfish in this life and no one will stop me from choosing such.
“Now, let’s enjoy the parade together, shall we?”