~ Four - Season V ~

“For all my life, I lived in absolute caution.

“My parents were once loyal servants of the duchess when she was only a teenager. My mother was chosen as one of her ladies-in-waiting. My father was chosen as her page.

“For the longest time, the duchess never treated her household with hostility. Most especially, her favourites. And when time came for my parents to ask for her blessing, the duchess happily allowed their marriage.

“But that harmonious relationship with the duchess was destroyed because of a false allegation.

“One of the guards accused my parents of stealing the duchess’ crown, which was a family heirloom. Because of that, they ran away from the castle and lived in the mountains in secret.

“Day after day, they lived in fear for their lives. It only worsened when Mother became pregnant. Although they did everything to give me a proper, normal childhood, I was never allowed to visit the nearby city. They would make one excuse after another, just to prevent me from leaving t