Chapter 4

“Your Highness, please get up from under there. It’s not healthy for you to be in bed that long.” A maid pleaded as she stood next to the bed with a worried expression. “His Majesty will not be happy to hear this.”

“I don’t care, I'm not coming out!” Athanasia hid under the cover determined not to come out. She could hear a sigh coming from the maid before the faint sound of the door opening and closing.

She immediately sat up from under the cover with a sigh as she wiped away fresh tears still streaming down from her eyes. After meeting her not-so-dead uncle, she’s now forced to stay in the Emerald Palace like a pet in a cage.

“I wish Lily was here.” She mumbled sadly to herself.

The only thing she wanted right now was to get Lily back and get out of this place. Away from the palaces, away from this life, she didn’t ask for, and most definitely away from Anastasius. The main source of her misfortune.

She turns to the oak door at the far end of the room with a newfound determination to escape. She jumps down from the bed landing on her feet, before running to the door.

‘Freedom, you're so close I can almost taste you!’ She thought in excitement as she reached for the handle.

But her excitement was crushed when the door suddenly swung open before she could have the time to reach the handle.

“Oh Princess, you’re already here!” It was the maid from before, she was now back for some reason, but this time there was a large group of maids standing behind her. “I’m so glad you’re out of bed, or else I and the other ladies would have been forced to drag you out ourselves.” As she said that, the other maids started filling the room by number. Some were bathing her, some were styling her hair, and the majority of the maids were asking her questions about what dresses and accessories she should wear.

“Would the Princess like to wear a sleeveless dress or one with sleeves?” One maid asks while showing two different styles of dresses for her to see. “Your Majesty, I think you should go for this royal blue dress. The color of this will accommodate beautifully with your jewel eyes.”

As the maids ask her questions after questions, she could only sit still in the tub with a confused expression on her face. “What’s going on?” She said as she turned to one of the maids for an explanation. “Oh, I must have forgotten to inform you, Princess.” She said, with a bright smile passed over her face. “Inform Athy what?” She asks, confused. The maid chuckled before leaning in and whispering into her ear. “His Highness is asking for your presence, my lady.” She said excitedly into her ear.

At that moment she almost fainted. “Is it true?” She asks in shock. “Yes, I won’t dare to lie to you about such an important matter.” The maid replied with a joyous smile. Athanasia could only stare into the distance with a dazed expression on her face. She couldn’t believe that Anastasius was asking for her after 2 months of caging her in the Emerald Palace. Though why he could’ve just left her in this palace to rot and die. Or, is he planning on executing her today! Is that why he’s asking to see her?

As Athanasia started panicking to herself, she didn’t seem to notice the maids finishing up bathing her and putting her in a soft robe. She leads to a chair to sit down before the maids start presenting her with plenty of different colors and styles of dresses. All of the dresses and shoes were new to her, and she was sure she had never seen them in her closet before. “Your Highness, you should thank his Majesty for gifting you all these wonderful dresses and accessories. It was even handmade by the most famous dress designer in Obelia.” The head maid said while the other started fangirling over the dresses in the background.

‘Ah, that makes more sense.’ She thought to herself while looking at the groups of maids with a deadpan expression.

She was then fitted into a puffy blue dress, with matching shoes, and a blue ribbon tied on her hair. As she looked at herself in the mirror a grumpy-looking lady came through the door.

“Is the princess ready yet? I was sent by the emperor to escort her to his office.” The lady said while eyeing Athanasia disapprovingly. “Oh, yes! She’s ready, Madam Louisa.” The head maid said quickly as she led Athanasia to the lady.

She looked up to the lady with a bright smile on her face and the biggest puppy eyes she got but was shocked when the lady didn’t even bat an eye. She walks ahead, leaving Athanasia to walk behind her as she leads her to her uncle's office.

What was odd to her was usually if a servant was going to escort their master then they would either walk behind or beside their master. Yet she’s being forced to walk behind this lady! Does she not get any respect here, she’s still a princess after all?

“Do not think too highly of yourself just because His Highness spares you. You are still the daughter of that bastard, and nothing will change that.” The lady said glaring down at her. “Once the real Crown Princess returns the emperor will have no more use for you and will probably get rid of you.” She said with a pleasing smirk on her face.

“What’re you talking about, uncle loves Athy very much!” She cried out, glaring directly at the lady. “Oh, you think His Highness cares about you? How naive of you.”

Athanasia kept glaring as she could feel herself popping a vein or two. She knew that half of what that lady just said was true, and will probably happen once Jennette enters the palace. Yet somewhere deep inside her, she could feel herself hoping that it wasn’t true. That somewhere inside that blackened heart of her uncle was a part where he cared about her. But she knows it will never happen, it’s just a childish fantasy.

Besides, once Jennette comes back she’ll get everything she could ever want. A title, wealth, and...love. From the beginning, those things were never meant to be hers.

Because in this life fate was on Jennette's side, not hers.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***