Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Chapter One: A Model Wife

Taking a deep breath as she stared at herself in the mirror, Camelia couldn't believe that it had really been five years since she had been taken from Portugal and forced to marry Ricardo. 

So much had changed for her since then and Camelia couldn't help but despise the man that her parents had chosen for her; her back was covered in scars from when he'd lost his temper and beaten her with his belt. 

Ricardo was far from the loving husband that he had tried to be in public, no one fell for his falseness and some even feared for her life the longer she was married to him. 

There was only one reason that Camelia put up with Ricardo's behaviour, her five-year-old son; he had been taken from her at birth and handed off to some cousins to raise. 

Camelia was allowed to visit once a month and she treasured that time with little Cristiano; he looked so much like his father and Camelia knew that it was a constant reminder to Ricardo that someone else had beaten him to her heart. 

Camelia had done her best to stay away from his anger, she knew that angering him would only make things worse for her and her son; Ricardo would murder Junior without a second thought if he thought for a moment that Camelia wasn't being a model wife to him. 

"Your husband and father request your presence," a maid murmured popping her head into the room, Camelia didn't say a word only nodded her head; she knew what they would want to talk about and she wasn't surprised. 

It was no secret that Europe was at war, things had changed drastically recently and the Iberian Empire was expanding rather quickly; it hadn't been a surprise when news broke that they were invading Palma without any hesitation. 

Spain and France had fallen so quickly and now the empire was consuming everything in its path, the last place that remained free where the islands and they were quickly falling as well.

***

"You called for me," Camelia mused stepping into the study, she stared right at Ricardo knowing that he was meant to be in a war meeting; her husband was a wimp and the only thing that he had laid siege to was the banquet table. 

Ricardo stared at his wife, he wasn't happy about the decision that had been made but he knew it would give them an advantage; he was sure that this would help them defend Palma from the invasion and they would all go down in history. 

"You know why you have been called here," Carson mused staring at his daughter, he was glad that she was serving her purpose nicely; they had the perfect thing to control her with and he had no cares for the bastard that she had birthed. 

Junior was no grandchild of his and Carson had originally planned to have him drowned until two of his relatives had insisted on taking the child in; he didn't know what had happened after that but he was glad he didn't have to deal with it. 

Ricardo had no reason to raise another man's child and the only disappointment was that Camelia had yet to give him a child; Carson knew that after five years of marriage that there should be children and yet there were none. 

"Not really," Camelia replied carefully, she eyed her father knowing he must be truly desperate if he was seeking her help; her brother was off trying to defend Magaluf and she knew how badly that was failing. 

Everyday there were whispers of the army losing more ground to the empire, when they reached the capital then there was no doubt a massacre would happen. 

Camelia didn't even care that she may be one of them, everyone around her deserved what was coming; she could only hope that her son would be safe in S'Arenal away from all of this.

"The general leading the invasion has a soft spot for you," Carson informed her, he knew that she would have heard who was leading the empire's forces; everyone knew and he was far from pleased about this. 

It had come as a complete surprise that the street rat had risen so high, Carson feared what he would do when he invaded the city that had defied him so much and he wasn't going to die like other men had. 

Camelia was the man's weakness and Carson knew that there was no way that he wouldn't get a little distracted with having her to himself. 

"Well that is news to me," Camelia replied not giving anything away, she watched her father and wondered if he was truly that desperate to win; she had no intentions of pleading with anyone for the city. 

Camelia would happily see it burn along with the people around her, innocents would be spared but the rich would suffer; she had heard about it when Ibiza had tried to refuse the empire. 

Carson clicked his tongue annoyed, he wasn't going to be made a fool of by his own daughter; she was becoming trouble and he guessed another beating would be in order soon. 

Ricardo stepped forward and slapped Camelia, he wasn't going to have her talking back as such; he glared at her knowing that she would be the lamb that was sacrificed to save the city. 

There were many other women that would fit her position perfectly, they wouldn't cause him as much trouble as Camelia did; they would give him children to carry on his bloodline. 

It had always confused him how Camelia hadn't fallen pregnant in the five years since they had married; none of his concubines had that problem and yet his wife hadn't even managed to give him one child. 

Camelia wiped the blood from her lip, she didn't even flinch knowing that was what Ricardo and her father wanted; they weren't going to break her now that they were so close to the end.

"Alexandra is waiting to dress you," Carson mused dismissing Camelia, he had things to do and he was sure that his daughter would play her part correctly; there was much at stake if things didn't go right. 

The army was preparing to mobilise and Carson needed to be ready if he was going to direct them from a distance; there was no way he was going to risk his life for any of this. 

"You will be sent to the enemy camp as a gift... please the general while we destroy his army," Ricardo informed her, he was hopeful that the general would be pleased with the gift; she was perfect especially after everything that had happened to her in the past few years. 

Ricardo had trained Camelia himself and he hoped that the general would enjoying screwing a woman that he could never have for himself; no matter what happened Camelia would always be his. 

Staring at Ricardo for a moment, Camelia wondered if she had heard him right for a moment; her heart pounded in her chest knowing that it had been over five years since she had last seen him it had never crossed her mind that they would see each other again in this life. 

Steadying herself, Camelia nodded before she moved to leave so that she could get ready; she wasn't sure what to expect but she knew that it wasn't going to be easy. 

"General Ronaldo isn't a fool," Camelia mused pausing to look at her father and husband, they were fools for thinking that he would be distracted by their ploy. 

The army was losing badly and Camelia knew that it was a matter of days before the city fell, she didn't wait for them to reply before she left the study and made her way back to her room wanting to get this over and done with before she was shipped off to her fate.