Everyone knew what life the Empress lived. It was no secret truly.

Her every move was like a grey cloud that swallowed up the sun. Everyone knew, but no one dared to say anything - or they just simply never cared enough to speak up about it.

With each passing day, her scandals and tyrannizing grew. She tormented her maids and servants in every way. With each breath they took, her whip would be coming right at them! One time, one of her maids asked her for a leave day because she was ill, but rather than giving her a day off, she made her every day a holiday by vanishing her from the palace.

Another time, when one of the maids accidentally broke a vase, the Empress ordered the servants to dunk her head in cold water and whip her 20 times!

Her cruelty surely has no bounds.

The power she gets comes from the Emperor. It's not that the Emperor is a tyrant. Rather, he is one of the wisest and most reasonable emperors, according to the people, that is.

But when it comes to the Empress, he is a fool in love with his hands tied.

It is not shocking. Their love story is known to everyone, 'How The Emperor Went On A War For His Love'. Every child and adult in the empire knew this love story.

They know how the Emperor saw the most beautiful lady in his eyes at a ball and fell for her that very night and asked her hand in marriage the next day. Still, unfortunately, the lady, who was a princess, was already handed over to her uncle in marriage.

The emperor was devastated, but he still asked her, "Would you like to be by my side?"

of course, the princess said yes but her father, the king, said no without even a moment of thinking, and as every hero, the Emperor declared war if the king didn't have her hand, and now the Killemartin kingdom is ruled by our Emperor, Adriano de Lysander. A war for 2 months just for a woman. 2 months of obsession. 2 months of suffering.

But does a rushed love truly last?

Not so long after their marriage, the Empress had a child in her womb, which is such joyous news but as challenging and doubtful too.

What is between the child's legs determines the power and what life stores for the Empress or any other women in the living, of course, they can have children one after another but the taste of the first one will always remain on the tongue but even if they do have a son as a firstborn that will never be a reason for her to stop being a baby machine.

I mean, after all, that's one of her jobs apart from obeying her husband, is it not?

and now the heaven smiling down at the couple and the empire, well, mostly the Empress. Gifted them with a child exactly like the Emperor, by everything I mean everything, starting from the black jet hair to what's in its pants. No one could raise questions about the child being the emperor's or not.

Perhaps this was the time when the empress finally became aware of the power she held. Walking into the place with full confidence, looking in the eye while talking. previously, she would give recommendations. Now, she giving commands.

The power surely was too much for her to handle cause why would she start tormenting the servants over such little things?

She is acting like a nincompoop by pushing the emperor away, her only source of power, that is.

Maybe this was the time when the emperor finally fell out of love with her because soon after all this, the emperor had a new wife come in, a wife similar looking to the Empress, probably that's what his type is but even if the features matches the action are the opposite, she is a Saint, the way that she talks, the way that she walks, the way she does anything is so simple yet delicate as if she is a saint, which now thinking about, she really might be a saint.

Her hair is like snowy silk that matches her red lips and fair skin. Her eyes are like the ocean. You may drown in them if you stare too hard. She is Florence de Astrid, a humble lady from the house of Baron Astrid.

She is the opposite of the Empress in every way, but somehow, she is also similar to her, which is truly confusing.

The Empress has blonde hair like honey, pink lips like rose petals and amber eyes like the dawn of morning when the sun and moon bid their farewell.

There is no possible way that they look like each other, but somehow, they do.

Perhaps this was the doll-like features of their face and that smile that may even brighten that sad moon that forgets its half.

The Empress didn't feel threatened until the birth of the second Prince, which was not hers but the Emperor's and his second wife's, and worst of all, for the Empress, it was a boy!

Now the Empress steps up her game, she tries every little thing to vanish Florence from the palace, and when nothing works, now, she drops the blood.

The birds were chirping, the child was sobbing, the sun was out, but the dark clouds hid its face while the rain poured out, and loud banging on every door to tell about the deceased.

The newspaper had been printed as soon as the news got out. The voices spread like fire, and soon, every person knew what had happened.

The news boldly pointed. out everything as if they aren't scared for their lives and others.

And now the little prince named Giovanni finally made his shine, the son of the Empress, Ashley de Lysander, and the Emperor, Adriano de Lysander. His jet-black hair and pale complexion with blood-red lips made him adorable looking. He looks so majestic when he is a 13-year-old. Who knows how charming he will be when he is a grown young man.?

Everyone told Giovanni not to shed tears, well, by everyone, it was his mother who gave him talks and glares where others would give him short glances.

He could not go over to his father to give and take comfort as the Emperor was busy talking and doing whatnot. Still, there was someone else who should be feeling more depressed than him, but there he was, sleeping comfortably without any care of the world, on the lap of a maid.

How could he be so comfortable when it was all his fault that Florence died? Giovanni's head was racing with these kinds of thoughts.

But what could he possibly do?

He looked up at the sky and shut his eyes; even the sun turned its back on him by hiding behind the dark, gloomy clouds.

Finding no warmth from the sun and the people around him, Giovanni looked around to see what the adults were busy with.

Looking over, he saw that his father and someone else, who he supposed was Florence's step-brother whom Giovanni had met a couple of times on banquets and with his father on friendly occasions, he and his father were talking to the Bishop and the priest about the beheading of Florence should never be out to the public.

Giovanni knew that if a person committed such a vile act as going against God's word and committing a sin that cannot be forgiven in mortal life, such as killing themselves would result in beheading them whether they're dead or alive.

His mother was also busy discussing about burning the evidence into ashes and those that cannot be burned should be buried in deep.

Tears were about to break in Giovanni's eyes when he found himself all alone with no one to look up to when suddenly someone from behind whispered "Don't cry right now, it will only stir up trouble."

It was a child's voice that whispered but before Giovanni could even turn around to see who it was, he was dragged into a pile of bushes.

Giovanni was stumbling his way into the bushes and fell to the ground when they stopped.

"How dare you! Do you know who I am!" Giovanni yelled, now he could finally see the boy who dragged him.

The boy had blonde luscious hair and frosty blue eyes, but those eyes looked swollen as if he cried out. Giovanni didn't see him crying at the funeral at all. In fact, he didn't even see him at the funeral until now!

The boy looked at him for a couple of minutes before finally breaking the silence. "I apologise for this little inconvenience, Your Highness, you looked like you were about to do something foolish."

Giovanni was baffled by the boy's daring actions.

"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that!"

The boy sighed and slightly bowed.

"I am Theodore Seymour, the son of Hayes Seymour and Julie Seymour, I apologise for the late introduction, Your Highness, and also for dragging you here to make you avoid the trouble that you were about to do."

Giovanni just stared at him wondering how did he get the audacity to talk to the prince like that. By the time his thoughts were talking with each other and making assumptions Theodore had already sat on the ground beside him.

"You could've gone over to your father to seek comfort" Theodore looks at Giovanni and tilts his head.

"I Know this isn't my place to say that but you could've asked for your father's comfort if you felt saddened."

"You don't need to tell me what to do."

"I am just giving you some advice."

"Advice I didn't ask for."

Theodore let out a scoff, "You should take it."

There was a moment of silence before Giovanni spoke again, "Who are you to her?"

"I already told you I am the son of Hayes Seymo-"

Giovanni interrupted Theodore before he could even finish speaking. " I asked, what are you to her, not your whole family tree."

Theodore gave him a short glare and continued to speak "She is my aunt"

"Didn't know she had a nephew."

"You didn't know about me but I did. She used to tell me about you whenever we would meet."

Giovanni stayed quiet and made sure not to make any sound while Theodore continued knowing that Giovanni wanted to know more.

"She taught me all weird knowledge." Theodore chuckled bitterly.

"Like climbing trees and mountains, making fire and houses out of wooden sticks."

"First person to call me Theo instead of Theodore."

Perhaps that was the last string that was holding tears. It got cut off, and Theo burst into tears. He was trying to wipe it off but it just won't go away.

Finally, Giovanni spoke.

"Florence was more loving to me than my mother ever was; she talked to me, comforted me and taught me about my feelings that textbooks or anyone has never taught me about. She promised me that she would be by my side but now..."

Giovanni was also crying now, rapidly. Both of them were a crying mess. Now they look at each other and burst out laughing at how ridiculous they look right now. They then continued to share some bittersweet moments and comfort. Tell about how Mr, Falcao, Giovanni's piano teacher, ideas to win the favour of the Empress and how he was embarrassed when the Empress told him to actually teach something to Giovanni rather than wasting her time. They talked until someone's voice echoed, that someone was calling them, from here they bid their farewell and blessings and ran back to their places.

After the funeral, when Theo and his father were in the carriage going to their estate, his father suddenly looked him in the eye and said, "Theo, were you with Prince Giovanni today?" there was no hint of sternness but rather a soft tone of voice.

"Yes, Father, have I done something wrong with that?"

"No, you haven't, but, I would advise you to stay away from Prince Giovanni as he is in the total influence of The Empress, be sure to know that our family supports the second Prince."

Their small meeting might have left a big impression on Giovanni, but not for Theo. To him, Giovanni was just a boy with whom he had a meltdown while trying to have him, which was utterly embarrassing for Theo.

He would recall that gloomy morning, and his face would become beet red out of embarrassment, and he would always try to hide his face whenever this memory popped up in his mind.

He just hoped no one would notice him acting out of order, but things don't usually go as you want, do they?

"Theo, I have noticed that you are acting weird lately. Did... something happen?" Asked Celestia, Theo's childhood sweetheart.

Celestia was a young girl with light brown and green eyes that resembled her mother's and that smile, which made her get her whatever she wanted, which perhaps maybe one of the reasons Theo approached her in their first meeting.

Theo was caught off guard by that question. He didn't know what to do or say.

Should he just tell her about the embarrassing moment he shared with the prince or make up some lie?

But if he does make up a lie, what should it even be?

'Oh, it's nothing, I just have a mild fever. That's why I suddenly cover my face and dunk my head.'

That's a nice excuse for someone to think you are a liar or a weirdo.

Theo just stared at the flower floating on his tea and wished something would direct Celestia's attention to itself, but not all prayers come true, does it?

There was silence for a few more moments before Celestia spoke again with a worried look towards Theo. "Then I suppose the rumours were true."

Theo was confused. He didn't even know there were rumours circulating about him, as he would always be aware of the talks about him. After all, this was one of his jobs as an heir to the Duke's title apart from staying with books in his room all day and socialising with strangers no matter how much he doesn't want to.

"I didn't know there were rumours about me," Theo said, tilting his head.

Celestia lowered her voice when she continued, "There are two versions of this rumour, one has it that you were so saddened and angered by the death of Lady Florence caused by her majesty, the Empress, that you hurt the prince when he was offering his condolence to you ."

Theo's face soured with each word passing through his head. "How could this mindless talk even come across their ears? I had never even thought about bullying a commoner. Forget a royal. These are false accusations!"

Celestia raised her voice and continued, "That's not it. Another version of this rumour suggests that the prince is the one who tried to bully you!"

Theo slammed his cup down lightly and matched his voice with Celestia. "This is utterly stupid to even hear this scandal! How could they ever talk about His Highness, The Prince like that!"

"To be honest, I wanted to believe The Prince did bully you."

Theo tilts his head with a slight frown on his face, "Why would you ever think that?"

Celestia places her hand on top of Theo's, making his face slightly red.

"I just care for you, I'm afraid you had some kind of conflict with The Prince. Not that I am suggesting the rumours might be true, but by what I see at the Parties and the balls, you are trying to get away from His Highness. After seeing you act like that, I believed the rumours about The Prince, and you were true. But...whenever I see him approach you, I always see the admiration or something similar to it in his eyes, and whenever you leave, he looks like a sad puppy."

In the last word, Celestia broke out into a small smile and moved her hand, "Talk about someone so high up looking like a sad puppy just because you ran away from him."

"I didn't run away from him, I simply didn't want to interact with him, if I did, that would only bring trouble," Theo said as he took his last sip of the tea.

"What could go wrong with having a royal blood as your acquaintance." Celestia crossed her arms with a face of dismay as she always does. That is her way of showing irritation or any other negative emotions.

"I don't think The Prince means any harm. Moreover, I heard that he personally invited you to his 'Studymate' selection to be a candidate. Isn't that a pretty good start?" Celestia continued without giving up.

"Which I do not wish to attend but have to, I do not understand why you are talking about being acquainted with The Prince, for what I have seen, being around him only gives you trouble. I have been warned, and I will not go past it."

Both Theo and Celestia were acting stubborn now. They both had their point of view but weren't willing to see the other's. This was an argument with no winners as both of them had a point. And now both of them are frustrated.

Theo takes the initiative to end this by which he gets up from his seat and gently holds her hand.

"Celestia, I don't hold any grudge against the prince, nor do I think you are being pointless. I know where you are coming from, I also think that would be great but The Prince isn't someone you can just hang around with, he the black sheep of his family, I just wanted you to be aware of that but if I offended you in some way...I apologize." Theo looked a bit hurt in Celestia's eyes.

She gives him a smile as a gesture of acceptance.

Theo didn't mean any single word he uttered except Giovanni being a black sheep. He still couldn't figure out why Celestia was defending The Prince, but he just wanted her to forget about this whole debate as he didn't want any stain in their relationship for someone else.

Finally, after their giggles and talks, when it was afternoon, Celestia left the Duke's estate.

Now, while alone, Theo kept repeating Celestia's words and thinking about the letter on the Studymate Candidate Selection where the prince personally invited him. Even though he burned the letter given to him by the palace servants, he could possibly not go there after The Prince personally asked him to.

Theo just sighs and lays on his bed, wishing that this would end.

He saw this as a battle of choices.

And this battle starts two days later, to be exact.