Cassius

Cassius straightened his back as he walked through the grand hallways of the palace, his small boots tapping lightly against the marble floor. Even at eight years old, he knew the importance of maintaining a proper posture and a calm, composed demeanor. It was something his father, the Emperor, had drilled into him since he was old enough to understand the word "dignity." After all, as a prince, he was expected to set an example for the kingdom, even if he sometimes wished he could be outside, playing in the gardens instead of inside these stifling hallways. His thoughts drifted as he walked, his mind wandering to the lessons he would soon be attending. He wasn't particularly excited about another morning filled with numbers and history, but he knew better than to complain.

Complaining wasn't what a prince did. A prince showed strength and resilience, even when he would rather be doing anything else. As he turned a corner near the grand staircase, he suddenly collided with someone coming from the opposite direction. The impact was unexpected but gentle, and he stumbled back a step, blinking in surprise. Cassius grunted as he collided with someone, the impact sending him tumbling backward. He landed on the cold marble floor with a thud. "Ah!" came a soft exclamation from the person he'd bumped into. Cassius looked up, blinking in surprise, to see Adaline who had also fallen on the floor opposite him, a stack of books scattered around her. Her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment, and she quickly began gathering the books, her movements hurried and flustered.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, both caught off guard by the unexpected encounter. Cassius quickly regained his composure, remembering his manners and scrambled to his feet, brushing off his trousers. "I offer my greetings to the First Princess!" he exclaimed, more out of surprise than formality. He quickly moved to help her, bending down to pick up one of the fallen books. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. Are you alright?" Adaline's face flushed slightly, and she offered a timid smile, her eyes darting around nervously." N-no, it's my fault," she replied softly. "I wasn't paying attention. I didn't mean to get in your way." Sensing his hesitation, Adaline took a small step back, Her expression shifted to polite but distant. Adaline finally broke the silence, her voice soft and polite. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. " I was just... I was just on my way to the library," she explained, her words rushing out. "I apologize to the Prince." Cassius gave a respectful nod in return, still feeling a bit awkward from their unexpected encounter. "Of course, Princess," he replied. He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say next. He hadn't spoken to Adaline in a while, and their meeting felt strangely formal, even though they were family. Adaline glanced away, clearly uncomfortable, but trying to remain composed.

Cassius noticed the nervousness in her eyes, the way she kept glancing toward the ground and then back up at him, as if unsure of where to look. He wanted to ask her how she was, if she was all right, but the words got caught in his throat. Adaline offered another small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes." I should let you get to your lessons." Cassius nodded, a bit too quickly, feeling a strange sense of relief and disappointment all at once. "Alright then," he replied, trying to keep his tone light. "Take care, princess."" ah,yes, you too, may the sun shine ever so brightly in your gaze, your highness," she answered, her voice gentle. "Have a good day." They exchanged one last, awkward smile before Adaline quickly bowed, turned, and hurried down the hallway, her footsteps soft and quick. Cassius watched her go, a strange feeling settling in his chest. He knew there was something different about her, something that set her apart from the rest of the family. He just wasn't sure what it was. Cassius walked briskly through the palace corridors; his mind heavy with thoughts from his morning lessons.

"But it was all so clear," the bold maid interjected. " The jewel was found in her pocket! What more proof do you need?" The doubtful maid glanced around, ensuring no one else was listening. "Yes, but... Princess Anastasia hugged her right before it all happened, wasn't she? I wonder if... maybe..." Her words trailed off, as if even suggesting the thought was too dangerous. The other maids gasped, clearly taken aback by the implication, but none dared to say it outright. " But it was all so clear," the bold maid interjected. "The jewel was found in her pocket! What more proof do you need?" The doubtful maid glanced around, ensuring no one else was listening. "Yes, but... Princess Anastasia hugged her right before it all happened, wasn't she? I wonder if... maybe..." Her words trailed off, as if even suggesting the thought was too dangerous. The other maids gasped, clearly taken aback by the implication, but none dared to say it outright.

Cassius, now standing just out of sight, felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Anastasia could be mischievous, but this... this was something darker. He continued on his way to training, but the weight of what he overheard settled uncomfortably in his chest. He would have to confront Anastasia soon. Cassius spotted Anastasia the moment she saw him, her face lighting up with that familiar enthusiasm. She sprinted toward him, her arms wide as if she hadn't seen him in ages, her usual "Brother! I've missed you so much!" ringing in his ears. But this time, he couldn't meet her excitement with the same warmth. Gently but firmly, he caught her by the arm, stopping her before she could wrap herself around him. His expression darkened, concern etched in every feature. "Anastasia," he began, his voice low and serious, "do you know anything about the maid who was fired by Mother today?"

Her eyes widened, innocent, almost too innocent, and Cassius knew this look all too well. She could feign ignorance perfectly when she wanted to. His grip softened, releasing her as he crossed his arms, a frown deepening on his face. She was hiding something—he could feel it in the air between them. She always had a way of brushing things off when she didn't want to be caught. "Oh, come on, Casey, you're overthinking this," Anastasia said, waving her hand dismissively as if his concern was trivial. Cassius sighed, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him as usual. He shook his head, disappointed—not just in her words, but in the immaturity she continued to cling to. "You need to grow up, Anastasia," he said quietly, almost pleading. "One day, you're going to regret this." But his words didn't seem to reach her. She pouted, her face scrunching into a childish frown before she huffed and spun away from him. "Hmm, is that so?" she muttered sarcastically, clearly unbothered by his warnings. As she walked away, her mood soured, he heard her mutter under her breath, "Tch, useless."

Cassius's jaw tightened, watching her head towards their mother's chambers. His heart clenched with unease. Anastasia wasn't listening. She wasn't learning. And worse, he had a gnawing feeling that something was deeply wrong, though he couldn't yet put his finger on what it was. For now, all he could do was hope that the lesson wouldn't come too late—hope that Anastasia would grow before the consequences of her actions caught up to her. But even as he tried to shake the feeling, it clung to him, heavier than ever.

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