This Life Will Be My Last

Chapter 6 - The Imperial Palace {Part 3}

I felt miserable, in all honesty - I felt hopeless. I couldn't do anything to stop my own husband from punishing someone.

Do I even hold any sense of power in this life - No . . . Even if I didn't have any power I'd find a way to ensure that I did have some sort of control over everything, I'm not the Crown Princess of this empire for no reason.

As expected, the words of Audreyn's imprisonment spread around The Imperial Palace like fire, every corner i turned or corridors i walked through i always heard the staff spreading their mouths about it. Giving their own opinion of what they thought was right and wrong.

This time, it seemed like The Crown Prince's love had prevailed, and I had somehow ended up losing to a simple mistress. . . Someone who really shouldn't be a threat to my position as the Crown Princess.
It would only ever indicate a threat if Rosette were to fall pregnant before myself; An heir to the throne would be more important. As, it would also help secure and better the Northern region called Tienne - Coincidentally the region that The Imperial Palace was built as well as the place i will be living with, until i find a way out of this.

I can't relive this same hell over and over again, I need to find a way that the cycle will end or if there's a way I can stop it.

"Crown Princess?"

". . . "

"Your Highness? Are you okay? You seem to be in a bit of a daze"

Lady Beatrice - who is one of my four Ladies-in-waiting said calmly as she looked at me, the gentle tone and sweetness in her voice, matching her overall calm demeanour.

"Yes, I'm fine Lady Beatrice"

"Thanks for your concern but im really fine - There nothing wrong"

Another Lady-in-waiting who was nearby who served Rosette appeared - They were Lady Elianna Dufort, I knew that name well enough in my past lives or attempts at living.

"Your Highness? If I may, The Madam. . . Has requested you to have dinner with her, in her personal quarters"

"The Countess, thinks it would be quite suitable and be able to let you both bond, as Your Highness? She really does want to form a true friendship with you"
"!"

"The Countess?"

"After all this trouble that that spiteful woman has put you through already, Your Highness! She's making it clear she doesn't like you" One of my Ladies-in-waiting , The Baroness complained to me. I suppose they would've known what Rossette is like, They're from the north. . . and so is that damn woman.

"I can't decline an invitation can I?

"It would seem quite rude of the Crown Princess"

I knew the Palace Staff would talk, it's inevitable. . . There's always people listening in and around. I have to be careful with what I say despite how much anxiety it gives me.
Therefore, If I declined her invitation I'm sure my reputation would go down like it did in my 37th life. In that life I tried being selfish, I tried to get revenge multiple times in that life and I even died too early even. Execution? I think it was, it can still feel my head being severed from my neck, and it does scare me.

I already heard my ladies-in-waiting, muttering quietly about it. I hadn't forgotten that Audreyn's imprisonment is meant to end tonight, at midnight according to Leonardo's orders. Unless he has changed them again which I doubt he has.

Quickly standing up, it made my way over to the Countess, who was situated in the Southern part of the palace. I dismissed my ladies-in-waiting as I didn't want there to be any conflict between a mistress and myself.
Rosette wasn't very well liked and it was clear by how much gossip and rumours were spread about her around the Imperial Palace.

I didn't pity her, That's one thing I vowed when I returned to this life. I can't be seen as weak in this life like my other, the compassion I shared in my life before I was throwing away.
If I want to survive this life I will single handedly rely on myself and the people i can trust.

Just make it to your own coronation as the Empress of Tienne. I always told myself in each life and I'm vowing to make it to the coronation in this life.

"Your Highness!"

Rosette exclaimed happily and sweetly as she looked at me, lifting her skirt as she stood up to greet me.

"Your highness! I'm quite glad you came!"

"I wanted to speak to you about what happened a couple days ago!"

Rosette exclaimed as she looked at me, a smile gleaned across her face grinning from ear to ear.
"Countess?"

"There isn't any misunderstanding or any queries you need to say"

"Boast your own concerns about what you opinion on the matter is, but at the end of the day you were the one who worsened the issues"

"!"

"Your Highness! In all honesty" Rosette stammered as she looked at me, an innocent and clueless look plastered across her face.

"In all Honesty?"

"Countess! I don't want to hear what you have to say for yourself"

I said, already getting irritated by her presence, I agreed to come here on my own accord but if she dares try to shift the blame onto me because of what Lady Audreyn said. I'm not accepting that.

"Was getting one of my Lady's-in-waiting, imprisoned for 5 days not enough"

"Your Highness! I just want to understand you! I admire you in a way!"

Rosette Shouted at me, and I stared at her quite perplexed and shocked by this.

No, she couldn't admire me. There's no way she would do that. Surely she's lying, no she would never.

I then decided I had had enough of listening to her, trying to reason with her as I quickly turned away from her as I started walking.

Not before I complained to her as I glanced back for a moment.

"Countess? If you wish to speak with me further? At Least send letters to the part of the palace I'm in."

"I'm quite busy these days so I may not be able to meet you consistently over a period of time"

"?"

"Ah? Yes yes, Of course Your Highness"

"I'll make sure to send letters to the Eastern Palace, If i want an audience with you, instead of sending one of my Ladies-in-waiting"
Rosette said, quite stunned as it seemed like she accepted her own defeat. However, seemingly quite annoyed and irritated at the fact I didn't let her get to me, or affect me in any way as I still somehow held up the calm demeanour I always had on my face and voice.

"God Dammit! That Easterner - I can't let her take my love away from me"

"I've got to do something about this, I'm not letting Her Highness win"

"I can't . . . No-No, i'll need to find a way to rise in my ranking"

"That's it, I've got to be pregnant with The Crown Prince's Child! Maybe then i'll earn the automatic respect of that woman and the rest of the palace"

Rosette - The Countess, Muttered under her breath as The Crown Princess walked away out of The Southern Garden in The Imperial Palace, As she harboured a way to devise a plan that would succeed with no failures in it. Rosette couldn't afford to fail, She had to restore her family name and power, one way or another