Shots

Claude De Alger Obelia

It was almost electrifying in a way, pretending that those little white stars were just an optical illusion and some sort of vision, to the guards who were still suspiciously analyzing the tips of your two fingers to look for some sign that would prove your obvious lie. Children and princesses don't lie , they had said before leaving while you were walking away triumphantly and vicente was returning to your nanny. It had always been easier to fool those occasional soldiers, but you had still never understood the difference between the Elite soldiers and the simple ones, had you never seen the former. You could deduce that they were reserved for the protection of the emperor, but you didn't know if you could lie to them too. You had never tried. All this in the eyes of a normal child, like yours, was like a fairy tale, a game. You had to hide your abilities from their eyes, like the fairies in the books your nanny read to you would have done.

But you had never taken all this very seriously. Your peace and your safety depended on it, and yet you often forget it. You had done it that day too;

It was a beautiful day, it was spring and the sun provided an almost pleasant warmth. It didn't sound strange that thought of trying some tricks in the open air, too exposed not to be noticed, but there was no one around so it wouldn't be bad to try something. Something simple, it shouldn't attract unwanted attention and then it was a fairly deep point in the forest. No one should have noticed it as the flowers began to grow in that portion of the ground under your hands, dazzling and delicate. No one, I repeat no one should have noticed it, and yet the emperor was behind you.

❝ Who are you? ❞ You turn and your gaze falls on him. He hadn’t recognized you, or he wouldn’t have asked who you were. Yet your legs were shaking like they never had before. All that was discernible in your mind was the fear of what he might do to you, if you didn’t know those glorious tales were enough for you. ❝ This is (name), your daughter, her highness. ❞ Another knight with red hair. He knew you and your father didn’t even know you existed.

It wasn't what you expected and you felt uncomfortable. When you first met the Emperor you had somehow prepared your mind for any torture he could think of to punish you, and you didn't know if you deserved to be punished or not but you had prepared yourself anyway. So when he asked that kind knight to take you back to the Ruby Palace, you were surprised, and the same when he sent an official invitation to have tea with him. It was obvious you weren't prepared for all of this, you had been ignored until now and now, all of a sudden, he was acting like he had always cared, like you hadn't spent your life hiding from him. ❝ Eat whatever you want. ❞ If you didn't know him you would say it was an order, and you didn't. You weren't hungry, but you ate anyway. ❝ How was your day?❞ ❝ Are you studying? ❞ ❝ You are sure that you do not want to come and live at the imperial palace. ❞  Of all the sentences he could ever say to you, this was the one you were most afraid to answer. And it would have been easy to do so if it were not the question that was asked of you more than once. Not only by him, a cute smile would have been enough and you would have diverted the conversation by showing how good you could be at levitating some object or simply making that withered flower you had given him days before bloom. But if it had been Felix, you would not have been so lucky. There were no innocent smiles, or sentences out of context that would have led the knight to not stay on that subject.

❝ Princess, you should give His Majesty a chance - ❞ She wasn't willing, but she would pretend that she would try. ❝ - He's trying very hard to make up for lost time with you. ❞ You didn't feel the need, you never wanted to be the center of his attention in the first place. It was something damn dangerous for you, and all those maids who had taken care of you since your mother's death. ❝ And I'm grateful for that. ❞ You said holding the knight's hand, and looking away as if everything that glitters attracted your attention, like a little girl should. Felix smiled, he seemed to believe you and that was fine, at least he wouldn't ask further like he usually did.

One of those things that had changed your life, whether for better or worse you didn't know, was your sister. A little girl, she also lived in the Ruby Palace, even though you had never met. A rebellious mass of blond hair and jewel eyes, like the emperor's, but that you didn't possess, but you didn't care so much.

It had happened by chance, she had impertinently entered the room while you were having lunch with the Emperor, and had simply stopped to ask questions at the door, addressing the older blond. You had not asked many questions, nor had you sought answers to unasked questions. ❝ Athanasia, This is your sister (Name). ❞ Your eyes met for a few minutes, after Claude had briefly introduced you. ❝ I hope you will get along. ❞ You did not want to do it, in fact you hoped you would never have to meet her again, the Ruby Palace was large enough to allow both of you a separate existence.

But if you really had to admit it honestly, that little princess had entered your heart. Partly because of the similar situation and partly because of your little sister's insistence, you started to get along, not as she would have liked, but closer than you would have thought. And you have to say that it was a great way to distance yourself from the emperor and not stay with him for too long, or simply not be alone with him. You would have blinked and he would have called Athanasia too, you would have talked about how nice it would be if she could also walk with you and the emperor, and he would simply send for her. It had been easy the first few times, then it had started to become more difficult.

But it wasn't like that, the knights killed all those women, who had cared for you and raised you for so long. Their life slipped from their eyes leaving them opaque and glassy. You were horrified, but he didn't seem to care. You searched with your eyes for someone who could stop the madness of that Emperor. Neither Felix nor Athanasia had intervened, you weren't sure if the latter knew what was happening. She was at the Emerald Palace after all, how could she possibly know.

❝ Felix have (name)'s things taken, and brought to the imperial palace. ❞ You wanted to yell at him and tell him that you wouldn't do it, you weren't sure if the same fate would befall you but you were almost certain that you wouldn't. He would never end your life when there were better ways to remember your place. Felix moved, disciplined the knights to your chambers, as ordered, then led you to the imperial palace.

There you would have had no chance to run away or behave so recklessly, nor would you have pushed him away in any way.