Villainess's Survival Mastery

6. The Crown Prince

Clementine pov

Magnus Solarius Helios, The Crown Prince. From what I have requested of my sources to gather, his life was no easy feat.

Born into a web of deceit and power struggles, Magnus's life was shaped by the ruthless ambitions of those around him. His father, the emperor, was a man of insatiable desires, taking queens and concubines without remorse. Magnus's own mother, the initial empress, was a pawn in this game of thrones, a political marriage used to solidify power. When the emperor's affections waned, she was discarded, relegated to the fringes of the court.

But the true turning point came with the rise of the queen, Xavier's mother, a woman who plotted and schemed her way into the emperor's heart. She saw the empress's position as her own, and in her quest for power, she orchestrated a sinister plan. Requesting for the empress to be sent away, and in the shadows, her life was extinguished, all to secure the throne for Xavier, the queen's own son.

Magnus grew up in a world of neglect and emotional turmoil, his father's anger directed at him for reasons he could never fathom. The rumors that swirled about his mother's fate reached young Magnus's ears. Fueled by a mixture of vengeance and survival instinct, Magnus made a chilling decision that soon became an open secret whispered throughout the palace walls in hushed tones. With the unwavering support of his loyal confidant, Felix, he orchestrated the assassination of his stepmother, his own hands forever tainted by the act.

His father's favoritism towards Xavier deepened the chasm between them. The looming famine, brought on by an ongoing war, provided another cruel twist of fate. The emperor, seemingly determined to rid himself of Magnus for good, dispatched him to the frontlines, hoping the young prince would meet his end in battle.

Instead, at the tender age of sixteen, Magnus was thrust into the throes of war, leading with an unrelenting spirit that left no room for doubt. He emerged from the battlefield as a victorious and fierce warrior, the embodiment of ruthlessness and unyielding dominance. In a shocking act, he seized the head of the enemy king, flinging it at his father's feet with a savage display that sent ripples of fear even through the heart of the emperor himself. The rumors of this harrowing event left the kingdom in stunned disbelief, for Magnus's display of unbridled power and tyranny was beyond anything they could have imagined.

However, I could imagine that even in the face of triumph, Magnus's struggle to maintain upon position of crown prince was far from honorable; it was shrouded in blood, deceit, and manipulation.
His past, a tapestry woven with treachery and stained with blood, is probably what fuels his drive to reclaim his birthright and sit upon the throne that is to be rightfully his.

Now knowing his motives, perhaps I can offer him my alliance and aid him in his accession to the throne. If he were to ascend to the throne, I will be able to not only have an alliance with the new emperor, but also have more options at my disposal to get out of this godforsaken marriage and reclaim my wealth under my family name.