William Velois
Grand Duke William Valois,
I write to you with great hesitation. It is clear that your persistence in this inappropriate relationship with Princess Camellia, driven by your lack of common sense and judgment, is disappointing.
The Princess has been the subject of debates at the imperial court, and it is a fact that she is mentally unstable. She is a burden that no intelligent man would choose to carry. It is foolish to think that this marriage will be a happy one, revealing a lack of foresight.
As for the dowry, the lack of wealth she will bring to the union is a reflection of her family's decadence. This will be a stain on your reputation, Grand Duke, and a constant reminder that you have descended to unacceptable levels in your quest for power.
CamelliaI wanted to talk to William, to explain everything that was going on, but every time I asked to meet him, the butler would come up with some excuse. I waited until dinner, but he didn't turn up, saying he had too much work to do. Furthermore, I was just a guest, I had no right to demand his attention or anything else.In the morning, I tried to meet William again, but the maids stopped me. "Wouldn't His Highness like to have tea in the gardens?" a young maid said as she stood in my way, blocking the door.I sighed, accepting that William needed some time to trust me. "That sounds like a good idea, thank you."The maids looked at me in shock. I understood that as well as the people of the north not trusting me because I was the princess of the empir
Report 2 William While I was away, Cedric kept me informed about the activities inside the castle. I made it clear that no one was to mistreat her, after all, she was still the first princess of the empire. No matter how much the people of the north resented the imperial family, they would never go against my orders. As soon as I arrived in the capital, I went straight to meet the man in charge of the hospital on the outskirts, a doctor called Jonathan Hans. I wanted to know what his relationship was with the princess and what he could tell me about her. No one knew I was in the capital, and I wanted it to stay that way, so I made an appointment with the doctor posing as a wanderer. I arrived at the small inn, dirty and full of people from the outskirts of town. I sa
A gentle breeze was blowing on that warm spring day, bringing a pleasant feeling. The streets were decorated for the festival commemorating the founding of the Arventia empire. The people were happy and prosperous thanks to Emperor Donovan Arventia, Crown Prince Theodore Arventia, and First Princess Camellia Arventia ruling them. That was the official word from the court, but it wasn't trueI had a privileged education, with excellent teachers and access to experts from other kingdoms whenever I needed to learn something that wasn't available locally. But, life in the palace was different from popular perception - it wasn't all fancy dress, tea parties, and balls, nor was it full of sycophantic nobles.After the empress died, leaving no children, the emperor chose my mother as his consort. She was the daughter of a wealthy marquis and was known throughout the empire for her beauty. But, after giving birth to Princess Camellia, her only child from a loveless marriage, she died mysterio
"The first princess of the Arventia Empire, Camellia Arventia," the man by the door announced.The doors opened, the bright light blinding me for a moment. The hall was completely silent as everyone stared at me. The whispering grew as I walked towards the imperial family, seated on their thrones in the most prominent position in the great hall. I didn't allow myself to lower my head, I kept walking with difficulty, but always kept my eyes on my goal. Theodore's mother was standing just behind the emperor, looking at me with a cruel smile on her lips. The emperor looked at me with total disgust, and Theodore laughed openly, to the point of hugging his belly like a child. I felt humiliated and just wanted to get out of that place, to which I didn't belong.I stopped in front of the lathe, bowed with perfection and grace, as I had been trained to do since I was born. "I salute His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Donovan Arventia. May blessings and Eonora fall upon his imperial majesty," I sai
I was locked in my chambers all day after the ball, not allowed to walk around the palace. My meals were reduced as punishment for flirting with the Grand Duke of Valois. It was then that I realized that my father, the Emperor, had a much greater animosity towards the Grand Duke than the mere succession to the throne.I spent the whole day reading books in my room. The next morning, I was getting ready alone and a maid I didn't know came in. She curtsied, smiled, and introduced herself as my new personal maid. Her behavior surprised me because no one wanted to serve me in my palace, leaving me alone."Did the emperor send you to watch me?" I asked, sadness already rooted in my heart.The maid, whose name was Laura, smiled sweetly at me: "I applied to serve you, Your Highness."At first, I didn't trust Laura. But over time, she became very kind to me. She helped me brush my long hair and complimented its unique color. It was then that I began to appreciate my green eyes and dark red ha
I had never written to anyone before, especially not to an elegant man like the Grand Duke. His letters were always interesting and friendly, and we chatted about various subjects. He didn't mind that I wasn't as intelligent as the others and even asked my opinion on some subjects.It was unsettling at first, but the Grand Duke and I agreed to call each other by our names, without titles, so that our letters wouldn't be seen as treason. When I saw my name written in his exquisite handwriting, a pleasant and unique feeling came over me. It felt like we were a couple or something.I would have liked him to write more, but I knew the circumstances. But, I was confused about the real causes of the conflict. Weeks passed and William's communication was limited because he was on the battlefield. It seemed that a group of rebels, together with foreign kingdoms, intended to overthrow the empire. The Grand Duke's deployment to the front line was to prove his loyalty to the imperial family and
Tears rolled down my face in despair. He was going to kill me, his eyes said exactly that, I had no chance of surviving."I'm sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince," the treasurer said as he approached. He was shaking from head to toe, sweat already collecting on his forehead as he rubbed his hands together. "Since we weren't going to be long, I left the door open. I knew that Princess Camellia would come, as she had received permission from the emperor to go to the library to pick up some books."I was grateful that everyone in the castle knew where I was. The library was next to the treasurer's office, and the doors weren't very different, one with straight handles and the other with rounded ones. Theodore let go of me, pushed me to the floor, and then leaned forward with a frightening smile. He stepped on my ankle, causing a sharp pain that spread throughout my body. I wanted to scream, but I knew that would only make things worse. So I bit my lip and contained the pain."I don't c
A shaft of sunlight came through the narrow window in the stone wall, but it wasn't enough to warm up the cold, damp cell. I no longer wore my dress; instead, I was given a simple gown made of a coarse, scratchy fabric. I barely received a decent meal, just the bare least to keep me alive until the day of my execution.I lost track of time. Every day was the same, full of darkness and pain that came in many forms. When the inquisitors arrived, it was the worst day of my life. I faced the same atrocities that should have been eradicated from the empire a long time ago and which only appeared in old history books. I was subjected to torture with hot irons, needles, and water towels, and my nails were pulled out one by one, all in an attempt to force me to confess that I was a witch.All the people I trusted and considered friends turned against me. Laura was the first to reveal her true nature. Every letter I sent to the Grand Duke was delivered to the Crown Prince by Laura. She had acc