ᴡᴍᴍᴀᴘ: ℌ𝔢𝔯 𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔫 ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔰

Game of Chess, the Chariot: II

Roger's nose buried in his thick books, when the crown prince, both lesser than the "cripple" in studies, interrelations, and mana output, took the throne, he had wanted nothing more than to defect. 

Imagine his surprise when that young prince, the one everyone praised in the shadows, took Obelia by storm when his coup was successful? 

The first thought he had when his father had crumpled to his knees when the support for Anastasius fell apart was- he was glad.

Why should he have to support someone as dimwitted as Anastasius who only loved indulging in wine, women and the sins of the world? When he could support a true emperor- one who would build up Obelia to what it should be- and Claude de Alger Obelia was the one he swore his loyalty to. 

But when Athanasia de Alger Obelia had come along, he had wondered if he had made the right call back then. It turns out? He had.

From the start, both Jennette and Ijekiel's positions of where they were at the starting line were different. But she had not chosen to take advantage of that, and instead looked from afar, waving a white handkerchief, as Ijekiel galloped away on a white horse, the prince in a fairy tale. 

Ijekiel had always been different from the other boys that visited the mansion on holidays. 

Jennette hid from them, Mr. Alpheus telling her to stay out of sight, but she peeked over the railings of the stairs, holding her dolls, listening to their laughing. She didn't like them. But Ijekiel. Ijekiel was always kind, and soft- soft to her. She liked that. 

She liked him.

She threw one tantrum that had Mr. Alpheus throw down his glasses onto the table, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a hand and sent her away into her room until dinnertime. He never brought such books in front of her again, only picture books and stories, fairy tales. 

They grew well worn with age, the love Jennette showered upon them every night, flipping through the pages, giggling as she imagined her own happy life and endings with a prince that loved her. 

What dreams, what fantasies she enjoyed.

She drew pictures in crayon, then pencil, instead of writing essays on political strife within the neighboring vassal states and countries. 

She ate snacks, little cookies and pieces of cake instead of learning etiquette properly when the teachers came with their long rods and stiff buns. 

Her dresses never grew out of being frilly, decorated with ribbons of every size and shape, she loved red and blue so much. 

She would love red so much more soon. It will be the best color scheme after all. Green being a particular favorite of hers, always dreaming of the Emerald Palace. Dreaming of a day that would never come.

She only wore the simpler versions to the debutante because Mr. Alpheus had given it to her personally, that she should wear it. Hidden behind that frown was an order, that she must wear it. She couldn't embarrass him in front of everyone. 

Mr. Alpheus must have thought when she got into the palace she would automatically upend the hierarchy and become crown princess, therefore going on to learn everything Athanasia did. 

It never came, and Jennette remained oblivious to it all, to everything that was of importance to the succession of the most valuable throne in all the lands, until now. And Athanasia would be delighted to tell her of it. Athanasia's pink lips curved up in a gentle smile, and even her eyes smiled at her as she said her answer.

"I started formal education when I was one and a half years old." Jennette gawked, contemplating checking her ears to see if she had actually heard correctly.