The Princess of Hearts

Princess Neylia couldn keep her gaze off a certain young man who was standing amid the crowd in Viscuzzi hall. Those golden highlights in his hair were like the rays of the sun. He looked the part of a nobleman with his well-tailored clothing and polished footwear. He was tall and handsome, with a fair complexion and eyes that caught the Princesss attention.

Princess Neylia was captivated by his handsome features, especially his piercing ruby eyes. Her irregular heartbeat began the day she met him in the dead of winter.

Neylia was born into the Cadmorry Empires royal family. Her hair and eyes were a milky brown, and she had long, wavy tresses. Despite the fact that she probably wouldn ever be as beautiful as Prince Luvien or Princess Gialette, she still had her own distinct appearance.

She always acted like a spoiled brat when she was feeling bad because her mothers remarks kept echoing in her head. No matter how hard she tried, she could never measure up to her cousins. Everyones eyes would be on them right away. In contrast, she would have to invent a situation from scratch, populating it with every possible bad outcome.

The Princess was a pampered brat with a reputation for being a royal. If she could save her face by drawing attention to herself, she would. In spite of being informed of her wrongdoing by the emperor, he was unable to bring himself to punish his own daughter.

Although the nobility held the Emperor and his family in the highest regard, they occasionally felt sympathy for him because of the tragedy that had befallen the Empress that previous evening and because the Princess had never been taught proper manners.

In the hall, couples could be seen dancing. While some nobles choose to dance with their loved ones, others prefer to remain seated at their table, drink in hand, and debate various topics.

The princess took her customary place at the head of the table. Her father was there, but the Empress seat was empty. Her eyes were fixed on her current companion, a young male. He was imbibing in the champagne that was normally reserved for the aristocracy.

His gaze wandered aimlessly as if he were hunting for anything or someone. Neylias eyes became increasingly slender whenever the young man focused intently on anything or someone.

While her hands were clenched over the seats handle, one of her eyebrows raised.

Not even the lesser nobility dared to invite her to dance because she was a princess of the empire. Although there were some higher-ranking nobles present, not one of them dared to shake the Princesss hand. The reason why she was acting this way was widely known to be because she had her gaze firmly set on a specific individual.

”Id like to dance with you, Lady Melfania, if thats all right, ” a young man with strikingly better features than anyone around the corner may have asked a noble lady

His manners were impeccable. When he bowed, he naturally extended his hand. The young mans question elicited a startled reaction from the Lady. As her companion prodded her for an affirmative response, she was about to put both hands to her mouth.

Melfania, a noblewoman from the House of Terius, was born into a prestigious family. It was expected that the Princesss lady-in-waiting, the second daughter of Duke Melfore, would be her. The pinkish hue of her hair and eyes, along with her pale skin and attractive frame, made her a sight to behold. It was to be expected that Clistaine would be interested in her, considering she was one of the most beautiful women in the empire.

Clistaine Vermille, the lone son of Duke Belvin, was engaged to the Princess at the time. The Princesss escort, not any other woman, should have asked her to dance at her familys birthday party.

Despite the fact that everyone present was aware of Clistaines predicament, they continued to act as if they were oblivious to what was happening right before their eyes. After accepting the young mans invitation, Lady Melfania and he began dancing in the middle of the ballroom.

Neylia got up from her seat and headed over to where the couple was dancing as soon as she had seen enough. Even before the Princess could reach Melfanias hair, Clistaine had her arms grasped to prevent her from coming into contact with the Ladys body.

Clistaine smiled broadly but remarked, ”Your highness, it was such a delight to be greeted by you like this. ”

”Clistaine, Im not fooling around. Relax, and Ill show this woman whos the boss, ” as her eyes became less bright, Neylia replied.

”To be honest, your majesty, there is nothing she could learn from you. What I can do in return is take you somewhere. ”

”Let me go, Clistaine. Ill teach this woman a lesson! ”

”I beg you, Princess Neylia, to stay silent. ”

The focus of everyones attention was on the two people at the halls exit. The emperor got up from his seat and proceeded to visit with his courtiers nevertheless. Everybody resumed normal conversation after his phony cough and pretended nothing had happened.

In contrast, Melfania was standing on the sidelines until a young man in knight attire came to her aid.

”Im sorry to hear that, Princess Neylia, ” Clistaine enquired.

Clistaine sighed heavily once they had gotten some distance from the house. Like a disciplinary guardian, he took the Princess straight to the garden of her familys home.

Neylias eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth hung open. She tried speaking, but no words came out. Neylia waited for a whole second with her mouth agape before she spoke.

”Well, that settles it. Princess Neylia, I can take it any longer. Theres a chance you were once the imperial princess. Perhaps you were the woman I was going to marry. Yet if you consistently prioritize your own needs above those of others, you will never gain their respect. If you keep getting in the way of my relationship with Lady Melfania, you have no idea what Ill do, ” Clistaine remarked, ”My eyes are cloudy, ” and he departed from the Princess.

Late that night, the Princess went to her room and stayed there, where she remained locked up all night long.

Her emotions were tainted till the party ended.

”Here, have some warm tea, Neylia, if you
e not feeling well. ”

”And why, Gialette, must you demand that it be a hot cup of tea? I have no interest in it. ”

”This should provide you some much-needed solace, Neylia. In addition to that, it has positive health effects. ”

”If I stated I didn want it, then don bother me, Gialette. ”

”I agree with you, Gialette; we should give her space. Obviously, she required some personal space, ” after entering the Princesss bedroom, a young man said in the background.

He seemed annoyed as he shook his head and stared at the two women.

Luvien knew he had walked in at the worst possible moment as everyones eyes widened, eyebrows furrowed, and jaws dropped.

”Leave this place right now, Luvien! ”

Within seconds of both women speaking, he was surrounded by tossed pillows.

He closed the door and muttered, ”Ladies and their inflated egos. ”

He loved his family dearly and would never wish harm on them, but he knew his cousins could handle themselves. Still, remembering what would occur during the hunting season caused his eyes to grow dimmer.

Someone was definitely planning something.

After a few weeks, the long-awaited season for the empire finally arrived. With the start of the Azlury, the Princess made her triumphant return.

After their quarrel, she secluded herself with her fiance and never returned to her previous routine of always following him. She locked herself up in her room to wait out the time.

Neylia believes that no one can take her fiance away from her because she is the current Princess, and this is true even if they quarrel. She thought the Emperor, her father, would always prioritize her needs.

Consequently, anyone who dares to challenge Clistaine will be swiftly and mercilessly defeated. So far as she was concerned, that was her plan. As she made her way to her seat, she glanced around and caught sight of Clistaine gazing at the woman he had brought to dance at Neylias birthday party.

She narrowed her gaze and addressed the knight at her side.

Neylia said, without taking her eyes off the woman, ”Kailer, I need you to give that Lady a lesson. ”

In other words, ”Is it Lady Melfania, your highness? ” The knight inquired.

”Why yes, she is, ” the Princess answered.

By the time the hunt started, everyone who had returned was secure. Clistaine won the most points among the young noblemen, as usual, and he would give his prize to his fiancée.

”Would it be all right if I offered my prizes to my beloved friend, your highness? ”

”What do you mean, my friend? Okay, I guess that works, ” a pronouncement from the emperor

Hearing Clistaines words, Neylias eyes widened.

”To my closest friend, Lady Melfania, I, therefore, present my rewards, your highness. ”

When Neylia looked up, she saw the crowd cheering and the Lady appearing unscathed; when she cast her gaze and went farther, she spotted Kailer off to the side. Instead of the Lady, he was staring directly at her.

She closed her eyes and opened them again, but Kailer was nowhere to be found.

The Princess wanted to cry, but no one seemed to notice. She would look like a bad person in everyones eyes.

Nothing had changed in Neylia and Clistaines relationship despite the passage of several days. Afraid she might bring disgrace to her fathers status, she was locked up in her chamber.

Today, representatives from both the Kasshien Empire and the Cadmorry Empire went to sign a peace treaty. After she escaped, the princess began looking for a suitable heir to the throne from the neighboring empire.

She made a pact with him and told him about the Lady he would have liked. At that point, the two parties were already quite close to finalizing their agreement.

But then something happened that nobody saw coming. A sudden assault occurred soon after the Therobier celebration ended. Flames devoured the empire, and mysterious foes stormed its borders.

After learning that Clistaine had also fled, Neylia considered doing so with Kailers assistance.

Despite this, she had never given death much thought.

”Its all your fault, Princess Neylia, for allowing that Kasshien crown prince to develop an unhealthy obsession with Lady Melfania. It pains me to say this, but you force my hand, ” as he spoke, Kailer turned around to see the man Neylia had once loved standing behind him.

”A death sentence should be issued, its time to end your life, Neylia. ”

Then, without warning, she collapsed on the floor, drowning in her own ink as night fell.

A concerned servant asked, ”Your Highness, Your Highness, are you okay? ”

Huh? She assumed she had passed away. So, why…

Her eyes widened when she opened them, then narrowed as she adjusted to the haze. After searching around, she spotted a mirror that looked vaguely familiar. She was holding her hands up to her mouth, which was gaping open.

”Don say— ”

”We are relieved to hear that Your Majesty is healthy. You were knocked to the ground, and after hitting your head on the tile, the bleeding had stopped. We were afraid you wouldn come to be conscious anymore, your highness, ” somebody besides the Princess takes. She was a maidservant.

”Wait, fell on the floor? ” She questioned, her eyes widening again.

”Certainly, your Majesty. We couldn have helped you if it weren for the young master Clistaine. ”

”Other than that, whats on tap for me today? ”

”This day, your highness, you wouldve adequately met your future husband for the first time, young master Clistaine of House Vermille. ”