The Evil Empress's Little Fox

Chapter Three

Going back to the safety of my room, I quickly shut the doors behind me. Pressing back against them, a sigh of relief left me.

Looking over at Amelia as she walked over where I once sat, she spoke. "Come finish your tea, your highness, before it goes cold. I know how much you despise drinking cold tea."

Pushing myself off the doors and strolled over back to my seat, I grabbed my cup and took a sip. Smiling when not getting burnt this time.

"By the way, your highness. What did you do that made you so panic upon seeing that woman?" I froze mid sip, eyes going slightly wide.

Quickly regaining my composure, I gulp down the tea in my mouth and set my cup down. "Nothing, why do you ask, Amelia?"

"What did you do." Amelia's voice was cold and demanding, I felt her eyes glaring at me. Waiting for a response.

Chuckled nervously, I refused to look over at the brown hair girl that stood next to me. "I may or may have not jumped on top of her carriage while I ran from the guards."

All was silent, causing my panic to only grow whilst tapping my foot underneath the table.

I felt a slap at the back of my head, making me yelp loudly and placing a hand over where I was hit. Snapping my head to look at Amelia, a whine left me. "Ow! Did you really have to be so rough?"

She simply glared down at me with a scowl, putting her hands on her hips. "You jumped on a neighboring kingdom's queen's carriage? You just want to cause trouble for your father, don't you, your highness?"

"It was either that or get caught by the guards, you know how much I hate it whenever I get caught."

Amelia rolled her eyes, fixing her posture as I leaned over to grab another cookie, taking a bite out of it. "At least she did not look angry when arriving here, so that's something at least."

"Please do not speak with food in your mouth, your highness."

"So demanding." Hearing Amelia sigh, she began walking away over to the washroom. "Wait here, I shall draw you a bath so we can start getting you ready for the party." I moaned, slumping back into my chair. "Can't I just skip?"

"No." A groan left me as I threw my head back.

After taking a bath, I picked out a black sleeveless gown that covered my neck to wear for the party and black heels to match.

Amelia brushed my hair and put it into a ponytail, leaving some of it out beside my face. Putting on ruby earring and a simple necklace, I was ready for the party.

Walking through the halls of the castle to get to the ballroom all alone since Amelia abandoned me again to help with the party, there was a slight part of me that was worried.

Does Father know what I have done to that Queen from earlier? Did she tell him? I hope she didn't tell him because then I have to deal with his bickering and scolding about how a proper lady doesn't do things like that and how I embarrassed him in front of his important guest. 

Sighing, I was snapped out of my thoughts when bumping into something hard that made me stumble back groaning. I reached up to rub my achy nose. God, what was that?

Looking up, my entire body froze when seeing that it wasn't a what, it was who. And the who was the woman from earlier. Father's important guest.

She was looking down at me with piercing black eyes that held a hint of danger in them and a smile still on those gorgeous lips of hers. She's even more beautiful up close. "Oh? Not going to apologize, little fox?"

Flinching and staring up at the woman, I smiled back at her after a moment. On edge slightly at our sudden meetup."Oh, I apologize, my lady. I wasn't paying attention. Forgive me." Bowing my head, I step out of the way and went to get out of there but was stopped. "Wait." Gods.

Stopping, I turned back to the woman, head tilted slightly. "Yes, my lady?"

"What is your name?" Why does she want to know my name? "I am Rowan Corleone, daughter of King Henry Corleone VII and Queen Liora Corleone." The woman hummed, looking down at me.

"What is a princess such of yourself running away from her own guards with a leg of lamb in hand?" She placed a finger on her chin. "Did you perhaps stole it, little fox? My, my, what a naughty princess you are."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, my lady." Shrugging, I went to walk away again only to stop when hearing, "So it wasn't you that jumped onto of my carriage this afternoon?"

Before being able to say anything, there were sounds of footsteps coming over to the two of us. Looking back, there came my second older brother, Eric, wearing his red suit. Grinning upon seeing me.

"Ah, sister." He turned to the woman that was glaring at him, her smile falling. "Your Imperial Majesty." He bowed. "I was just collecting my sister to bring her to the ballroom, apologies for interrupting your conversation."

The woman waved a hand dismissively, not looking at my brother. "You may take her, our conversation was just finishing up." She looked back down at me. "Isn't that right, Princess?"

I forced a smile back onto my lips. "Yes, my lady. It was lovely to meet you." Bowing our heads, Eric came over to me and grabbed my arm. Dragging me away.

I felt her eyes watching me the entire time until we were out of sight, turning a corner where a my breathing eased and my shoulders relaxed. Eric let go of my arm. "Do you know who that is, brother?"

Eric turned to me, tiling his head with a cocky grin. "You really don't know who that is? Father will be very upset with you for not knowing who our guests are."

My eyes rolled at that, the two of us walking side by side. "Just tell me."

He chuckled, facing forward. "That woman is the Empress of the East. Also known as the Empress of War and Victory." The Empress of the East is here?

I smiled at that, hiding the fear and that washed over me in an instant. "How lovely."

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Eric Corleone