"Duke?" Princess Vixara called out, her voice laced with uncertainty.
The Duke, surprised, turned to her. "What troubles you, Princess? Are you in need of anything, or perhaps feeling unsettled?"
Vixara sighed, her grip tightening on the silken fabric of her dress. "It’s just... strange, isn’t it? Yesterday, I was a simple lady-in-waiting, and today, I’m a princess. Everyone calls by that title, the Duchess treats with reverence... It all feels so awkward. And then there’s this revelation – a family, a brother, and even a mother who wants dead, though I have no proof to speak of."
The Duke’s brow furrowed. "Princess, you must accept your reality. You are the heir to this empire, and with that cos responsibility. You cannot afford to be naive. Even those closest to you, even us, could pose a threat. This is a dangerous ga, and you must tread carefully."
Vixara’s eyes welled up. "But Duke, how can I live like this? Whom can I trust if I can’t even trust the people around ?"
The Duke placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You have the entire empire at your disposal, Princess. You will rise above them all, a queen in your own right. Perhaps even find a prince who will cherish you and elevate you further."
Vixara shook her head, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. "No, that’s not what I want."
"What do you an, Princess?" The Duke’s voice softened, his concern evident.
Vixara turned away, her gaze falling on the vast gardens beyond the window. "You wouldn’t understand."
She retreated to her room, the heavy oak door thudding shut behind her. Tears stread down her face as she sank onto the plush bed, her reflection staring back at her from the ornate mirror.
"First, I was just a maid, lost and adrift," she whispered to herself. "Then ca the marriage, and I accepted my fate, content with the Duchess’s kindness. But when she accused ... I felt a strange thrill, a perverse echo of the life I yearned for."
Vixara shivered, her emotions a tangled ss. "And now, this revelation – the princess, the heir. My desires stir once more, urging to break free from the shackles of expectation. But can I do this to the Duchess? Can I betray the woman who nurtured ?"
Suddenly, a chilling whisper echoed in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "The Duchess and you – your bond is a re illusion."
Vixara gasped, spinning around in fear. "Who’s there?"
The voice, cold and detached, resonated from within. "It’s you, Vixara. I am your inner voice, finally erging to guide you."
Vixara recoiled, her heart hamring against her ribs. "Guide ? To what? I don’t understand!"
The voice, her own voice, but twisted with a newfound sharpness, hissed, "From when did you beco so weak, Vixara Jessica Belenus, the sole princess of this empire? You are Vixara, not so timid commoner. You are cunning, you are ambitious, you know what you want. Why hesitate now?"
Vixara stared into the mirror, her reflection shimring with a newfound intensity. The whispers of her inner voice, urging her to embrace the darkness within, were undeniable. But at what cost?
"What do you want to do to ?" Princess asked her inner self.
"Snatch what is yours!" it said.
"What do you an?" Princess asked.
"Ha ha! You don’t know what is yours?" the voice spoke.
"This empire, the throne, your right, and lastly your love, Duke Alexavier Agnes," the inner voice spoke.
"No, I can’t do this!!! The empire love . The throne belongs to my brother Maximus, who I recently t. And the one you’re saying is my love is married to soone else. He is soone else’s husband! He is soone’s love. I can’t let it happen," Princess refused.
"You can’t let it happen? Ha ha! Then suffer how you suffer till now, becoming a maid under lower people. Suffer this way. Keep hidden your feelings while suffering from inside. You can do that, right?" the inner voice asked.
Princess stayed silent, looking away.
"See, you are silent. You are failing to speak! You are not accepting your suffering as well. Then what do you want? You are refusing to choose both sides. You are refusing to accept your fate. Then what is going on in your mind? Are you going to be timid, innocent, weak so that people will abandon you once they have already done it?" the voice said.
"I can’t do this. I’m weak. The Duchess has shown her love towards when no one did. She is the one who put first and let get outside despite the duke’s anger toward her. How could I just snatch her love, her husband just for my satisfaction? No, I can’t do this. This is a cri. This is a hell cri," the princess said.
"Sotis you have to do cri in order to achieve what you want. You did it once already, then why not do it again?" the inner voice said.
"I did it once? When? I could never do such things. My nanny never taught all these. She always showed how to love. She always taught to take revenge on those who have wronged , like the emperor and the empress who killed my mother. But I will not do more bad things other than that which will hurt others."
"I want them to smile. I want them to be happy, which I will do," Princess said.
"You will regret it!!!" the inner voice said and vanished, making Princess Vixara burn in anger.
"Yes, I need to take revenge from the emperor and empress. I will not let them die by the law, but I will do it how they killed my mother by strangling her to death. I will kill them more brutal than they could think of," she said, while her eyes turned red in anger.
"I will be the death of you two!" she muttered.
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