The Lady Simply wants to be happy!

Chapter 1: Reborn Again

"As much as it pains me to say, there is no thriving here... only surviving. You survive and survive until you've grown enough not to need others' protection."

His Highness, James Richard Alma-Vatum, was the third Prince of the Empire of Feilies.

Having been born by a concubine,
he was one of the last choices to be the Crown Prince.

He and his mother, Viscountess Lucia Alma-Vatum, were aware that as long as they remained in the position of the concubine and the bastard they were destined to die in the Royal Palace.

His Majesty, the deceased emperor of the great Feilies, was indeed a humble, generous, kind man.

His people loved and respected him, and His Majesty treated me as if I were his granddaughter.

He loved me dearly.

To keep the two families conjoined, he betrothed me to His Highness.

I had no say in the matter.

I was only just a babe when the engagement was set. I was to be Princess and Viscountess Alma-Vatum after His Highness James had inherited the viscountdom.

Was it a last-ditch resort to help his least fortunate grandchild secure some power?
That I can not tell you..

He knew the truth, though, the truth I had come to realize my many years in the palace.

As much as it pains me to say, there is no thriving here... only surviving. I have survived by becoming cruel, seeking power, and trampling those who tried to take that power from me.

I learned that til you've grown enough to not need others' protection,

you are useless.

That was the truth of this cold palace. There were some, few, mind you, who learned this truth and adapted, but others..well they didn't survive too long.

Maybe this was the last kindness a grandfather could give to his grandson, or maybe a way of controlling the power of the nobility?

It could be any of those things, but I know that even if I wasn't betrothed to His Highness James, I would have been betrothed to another Prince...

My family was one of the only two high dukedoms in the entire Kingdom.

To keep the Power Balance between the Nobles and the Royal Family, I would have to Wed a prince.... His Highness James just happened to be the first one chosen.

I do not remember his Highness being a very affectionate man or even an affectionate boy.

I hardly remember my visits to the Palace or our interactions together.

One perticular memory, though, seems to be prominent in my mind.

I remember being a young, 8-year-old girl, excited to see her fiancé.

I sat at a table sipping on my tea and eating desserts as His Highness practiced his swordsmanship. He was around 13 or maybe 14 at the time.

His sword master a husky, large man had a suspicious air around him.. He almost seemed to want to hurt His Highness.

For a child that age, with the skill level His Highness had, there was no way that his sword master should have been using the amount of force that he had. Not to say his Highness was not gifted , it was quite the opposite, in fact.

His highess, well he had already achieved the rank of high apprentice despite his young age.

Even his elder brothers were still in mere novicence stages. Even so, this trainer was a high knight, with years of experience on the battlefield.

He could not be defeated by even 10 high apprentices.

I remember the swishing of the air... The sword master who lifted his sword intending to stab His Highness.

I noticed and swiftly pushed him out of the way.

Sadly, I was injured in the process and quickly fainted. One thing I remember, though, clear as day is His Highness's face lingering over my body..

He stared with bewilderment and disdained, as if I was the one who orchestrated the attack.

As the sword master screamed while being dragged away by the palace guard,  his highness hovering over my bleeding body...

That look, oh, I do believe that was the moment I stopped seeking affection from my Fiancé.

I remember laying there slowly drifting out of consciousness staring into his highnesses eyes, which showed no concern for me, until I completely blacked out...

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"Ata, Ata".... "Atanalise!" my father yelled, clasping my hand. I woke up in a beautiful room, back to the day, the day I was stabbed.

Has god decided to listen to the prayers of a desperate woman? Had he given me another chance... a second chance?

I look up there. I see my father staring into my eyes and my stepmother rushing back into the room with a look of concern on her face.

As soon as my father had heard of my injuries, he ran out of his audience with his majesty to check on me.

I remember being told how my stepmother quickly excused herself from her tea session with Viscountess Alma-Vatum and rushed to call a doctor...

I don't know why I wasn't grateful for her before.

Why did I blame her and resent my father for remarrying after my mother's death...

" Step-mother"..."Mother"-I soon corrected myself..."Father"

I whispered, my voice horse with thirst...

"I'm sorry!"... "I'm so so sorry," tears streamed down my face.

"You're awake, my dear." I heard my stepmother's silky honey-like voice whisper as if she would start weeping at any moment.

I could hear my father pacing the room, his big military boots that he always wore for 'practicality'; when in truth, he just didn't like the high society footwear.

They were thumping on the floor.

My father had called the doctor a couple of minutes ago but he was yet to arrive.

My body was burning with a high fever, shaking from pain.

Apparently, the dagger had been poisoned, but from the corner of my eye, hidden by the door frame, I saw the shadow of a young man...

He seemed to resemble his Highness!

Was this what happened before?

Why hadn't I noticed him near my room in the past?

Why was he here?

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Ooh, what's going to happen between Anna and the cold prince? Will she discover a secret from the past she never knew? I can't wait for you to find out...

XOXO, lovelies ♥