Same World, Same Princess, Different Path [WMMAP]

Chapter 6 - The royal guard

~ A few days later ~

Lately, Athanasia could clearly see the servants going back and forth in the Emerald Palace. Why was that? Because Jeanette was going to live there. It had already been going on for days, and she was beginning to wonder if Jeanette was already living like a princess at the Alpheus Residence with everything she owned.

She was taking a walk in her little garden at the Ruby Palace. After spending her whole life here, she felt much better than in any other place and she was thinking much more effectively than anywhere else. And here she really needed some peace and quiet because she would soon run out of time if she didn't take matters into her own hands quickly.

Athanasia stopped in front of a tree and sat down leaning against it. In the last few days, she exchanged many letters with Elphinny. And it could be said that Athanasia took a lot of pleasure in answering them. It was the first time she had made a friend - she also considered Lilian York like that, but the brunette was also a mother to her and more - and she was looking forward to it because soon she was going to invite her to have tea with other girls.

Yes, Athanasia had received letters the day after her debutante. Letters of greetings and invitations. That day, she remembers very well seeing Hannah and Cesilia shouting with joy while Lilian scolded them for being much too noisy. That day, she was also careful to read and remember everyone's names. She already knew who the real people were and who the fake people were, and that's how she made the guest list for her tea party. Most of the girls had danced with her at the ball so it wasn't hard to recognize them when the time came.

Athanasia sighed.

She wasn't safe. When she asked Lucas how the other Athanasia had managed to survive, he told her that not only she had Felix Robane been her bodyguard, but that the emperor had put several magical spells on her, each more dangerous than the last, since she was a child.

She was lucky... A loving father and a people who admired her... 'Yet, she eventually died...' And Athanasia looked up at the sky with a melancholy look in her eyes.

Fate was cruel...

For the time being, she had no magic - or simply didn't know how to use it according to Lucas - and unlike the other Athanasia, she had no bodyguards. Yet she needed it or she could very well die stupidly. But where to look for it? It had to be someone competent who could be trusted. And that alone was very hard.

"Carsein de Rass, Princess."

"Pardon?" Athanasia was having tea inside the Palace. During those few days, she had also gotten very close to Hannah and Cesilia and they were now talking very naturally. When she looked at them, she knew that they were trustworthy girls. So she ended up telling them about her search for a bodyguard. However, she didn't think that they would make the effort to look for real overnight.

"Carsein de Rass, Princess. He is a very talented boy. He is only 16 years old but he is already considered the prodigy of the century for being recognized as the youngest knight of the Castina and Obelian Empire!" Hannah began to praise the young boy endlessly, saying that he was very talented and that it would be nice to have him by her side. "And as you know, he is the second son of the Duke of Rass."

Athanasia had heard of him before, but she was too busy trying to get the Emperor's love to pay attention to him. But when you looked into it, this boy was actually very promising.

The Rass House. Its patriarch, Arkint de Rass, was one of the knights in whom Mirkan Lu Shana Castina, the emperor of the Castina Empire, had the most confidence. Athanasia had not really understood the exact reasons but it seems that Carsein asked to come and be part of the knights of Obelia. However, this had only been possible because the two empires were allies.