𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 | 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

02 | The Pitiful Princess

EPISODE 01: [Name], The Bastard Princess

D-0

   IN THE WELCOMING PRESENCE OF THE EFFULGENT SUN, the summer breeze whipped around and carried with it the fragrance of dew and freshly bloomed flowers; a distasteful comparison to the frigid air that hung over the Imperial Palace, paired with an atmosphere so sharply tense it sliced through your skin or strangled your throat if you ever even thought of breaking the silence.

Stormy clouds hovered above the sacred home, casting a grey shadow over the open lands and creating an image of a much solemn place more suited for a funeral than the venue where a ball was to be held. Considering the circumstances, flocks of servants were present to care for the palaces and its residents, as well as preparing the Banquet Hall for the special occasion.

Situated in the midst of a broad rose garden that appeared to be shaped like an unending maze was the second largest palace: Aurora Palace, where princesses were raised and born in. The Imperial Palace paled in comparison to the Aurora Palace, decorated brightly and painted with baby blues and soft, powder pinks. It was lined with silver, with walls and floors of marble, an almost childish palace that housed the bastard child of the late Emperor, the pitiful princess that garnered tons of attention from noble society due to her unwanted involvement with her parents' affair.

[Name] Obelia.

Taken in by Empress Ophelia as an infant, she was raised responsibly as the young sister of Crown Prince Aeron, the first and only heir to the Imperial Throne. Out of supposed pity, she was crowned as the first princess of Kalor, gaining respect and recognition from society. She was rumored to be treated well by both the Emperor and the Empress, with servants joking that they thought maybe they loved her more than they loved Aeron. In fact, she was so beloved that she tended to act spoiled and lived lavishly just as the Empress.

Such incredulous lies, spoken from the mouths of snakes and heard by fools. Words of deception; pointless and annoying, as told by her as she mingled endlessly with nobles of lesser or higher ranks, from empires far and wide. She cared not for the people who sought fortune and power, those who blabbered about mediocre issues that make commons think they're nothing but the best.

She never cared for social gatherings, at least, not until her debutante on her tenth birthday that would occur three days from now, where she would soon meet allies and rivals alike.

xxx

Like a predator that sought to deceive its prey, Ophelia feigned an attitude of innocence as she enveloped the first princess in a warm embrace, her mouth spouting words of love and affection for all noblewomen to hear as they stood before the commencing tea party, garnering the attention of the audience.

"Oh, my beautiful princess." Said she, her red-stained lips curling into a smile. "Pray tell, are you treating your servants well? I heard they ran to their quarters crying after you threw such an ugly fit."

The noble ladies, empty-headed and naive, shared a lighthearted laugh at the Empress's jest as they drank from their cups and took it upon themselves to initiate discussions regarding their husbands and children. [Name] held the urge to roll her eyes at their stupidity, Ophelia's lies being written all over her porcelain face, and yet none of them seemed to notice such. In fact, they had chosen to ignore it.

Then, [Name] forced a practiced smile. "I am fine, mother, and so are my ladies-in-waiting and my servants. I did not attack them, neither verbally nor physically; they ran off after I . . ." She hesitated, but seeing the look of utmost victory in the eyes of the Empress, [Name] swallowed her lies and told the truth. "—After I had so unfortunately dropped a gift basket from a lady and huge, poisonous spiders began crawling out of it. The ladies were very frightened, so I sent them off."

Her response was much a chagrin to Ophelia, whose eyes glimmered with annoyance as her plot to have [Name]'s spoiled reputation be worsened even more through the noblewomen, who all gasped with worry at the princess's story. One of them, namely Countess Herman, expressed her concern at the situation.

"How awful that sounds, Your Highness." The Countess says. "It is unruly and unjust for a lady to send a princess a basket of dangerous spiders!"

"Truly! Your Highness must punish that lady, she could have endangered the princess!"

Soon, the noblewomen began throwing complaints and sharing their displeasure with the disrespectful lady. [Name] smiled, her lips painted a soft red as she turned her gaze to the Empress, her anger unsubtle as she held back her silver tongue, in fear of exposing herself as the lady who had gifted the spider-basket. I do hope you enjoy your party, Empress. She thought, this is only the beginning of your exposure.

The first princess's elegant reputation had been besmirched just years before her debut, leading the simpleminded to picture her as a spoiled, bratty, narcissistic young lady who cared only for beauty and luxury and treated her servants rudely. Ridiculous lies weaved into intricate tales for the ignorant to devour and the knowledgeable to ignore — a tapestry of fabrication and deception, with no evidence to support the claims.

But now, [Name] will slowly unravel those webs; untangle herself from the center of it all, with her kind disposition and her innocent facade to charm the simpletons of society and gain their trust as her pawns, her subjects to rule and utilize to her advantage.

This was a chess game; a game of manipulation between the elites and the fools. With her useless and corrupt pawns, the Empress has barely anything to support her, but so, so much to lose. But [Name]'s pawns are of smart, powerful, and loyal subjects — people she has wrapped around her dainty fingers as she watches Ophelia fall alongside her House and her family.

This was a game. Life is a game.

And [Name] intended to win it. Even if it meant her hands are tainted.

pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina
"Beneath the lamb's skin often lurks the wolf's mind"

***

First chapter has ended, has been edited, and is finally out. I have dutifully changed multiple names of multiple characters and have changed up the story to make the least bit more sense. And, in addition, I have added a little something.

I've been learning a little Latin, albeit slowly but still learning, and one of my English friends have said that it would be a cool idea for me to add some Latin phrases that match the chapters. I didn't like how it looked at the beginning, so I decided to put it at the end. Also! Most of my friends are chess players, so I incorporated that into the story as well. Using  "D-0" to signify the start of the story, how many days have passed since the start, and also how many moves has [Name] made in her rebellion against the Emperor and the Empress.