“Yes, Your Highness, His Highness is already waiting for you!”

I grumbled at my servant, who was still wearing the Princess Consort clothes on.

She always liked making me feel bad that she had to pretend to be me for the day, but I force her to do it each and every time!

Grumbling, I unhappily said, “Fine, fine, dress me up and take me away!”

“Your Highness...” I saw my maid pouting at me. Ah, did I look that cute too?

She had the same colored hair as me, but it's a secret that it's dyed that way, and very similar facial features. Honestly, if she, Diane, did not look like she does, I probably wouldn't have thought of the idea for her to take my boring place!

Taking this chance, I tried my luck, “What, you changed your mind and don’t want me to go now?”

The maid suddenly lost her pout and finally got into doing what she was supposed to do!

…That didn’t work…

Changing my clothes and my makeup, from when I was a maid, I changed into a very unique, young woman.

Before, I had looked normal, putting a mole on my face, as well as darkened make up…

Now, my face was shiny and lighter, with a faint blush, my face resembled that of a sixteen-year-old, even though I was nineteen now.

Ah, I like my face…And my strawberry blonde hair…And my little nose.

Having all this, really didn’t suit me though…A beautiful dress, a gorgeous…Whatever’s in my hair and makeup…Gold…Ha, gold everywhere! It sucked though...Because I preferred the color blue…

But no…I have to mostly wear red and gold because I was the first wife of the Crowned Prince…Never blue!

I pouted…Still completely resolved to leave this place one day!

Ah, where was Theo!?

As the final tid bits were being done, to make me look like the proper lady and wife of the Crowned Prince, I kept turning my head, blowing through a little device.

I hadn't seen Theo in a while...Perhaps he’s found something!

After I was finally ‘ready’, my maid and I walked in the way my ‘status’ was expected of me, to the place that we were having some kind of gathering.

Before coming here, I had done trades with my father, that would go over long distances…Never knowing that the palace was so…Big!

To go from my quarters, to that of the hall that this gathering was taking place, was at least a ten-minute walk!

It was like the palace was its own capital city!

Luckily, having been a maid on and off for a while now, I was able to scout out this place, knowing most of the areas now, instead of getting lost. So, not only was the gathering assumingly boring…The walk there was as well!

We passed a few holes in walls, that were guarded, and even a garden to one side of the walkway, that was apparently something that the King’s mother was fond of, and then came across a big area that was to the side of the opening of the hall.

In the distance, I could see a certain amount of people waiting to go in and take their designated seats…

Everything was just the same as last time…

This time, though, the gathering was something about the conquered land of Gelmain. In Which it completely confused me, I swear we had already had this type of gathering!

Shaking my head, I then remembered a month ago, when I had been a maid for a very short time for the King, that this gathering might say the same thing, but meant something completely different.

I think it was a royalty or palace thing…Where everyone might say something and mean another, and it was really driving me crazy!

When I was with my dad, things were a lot simpler, but coming into the palace, I just know that even the maids sometimes talk with secrets in their words...

Puzzles...

Bah...

This was just another reason to leave this rotten place! It made me think too much!

And honestly, since I moved here into the palace, I seemed to not lose that want for freedom, even though a lot of rules had been placed inside my head because of my ‘position’.

I’ve had a few people state remarks about my behavior on rare occasions, stating that I was not acting as my position…But…I had never wanted to be a ‘Crowned Princess’, I had much rather stay with my father!

It had never been my choice though…

My father had told me, which was rare because he’d normally ask me most times, giving me the freedom of choice since I had turned thirteen.

But that time, he had told me that I was to marry and that I had no say in it!

‘You need to be a good girl and do as you’re told!’

Wait…Hang on!

Before I could say something, he was gone!

It was…Really too sudden!

So, I probably had wasted time being mad with my father and had not sent him a letter for a while, but by the time I had sent a letter and realized something was strange, I had already been married for six months!

It wasn’t fair!

"...Mumbling again...It must be your greatest talent..."

Looking ahead, not really noticing the presence beside me, I found that we weren't at the destination yet and continued to wonder why this gathering might be different to the last…Well, thinking of that was a lot better then feeling upset about who I was and whatnot!

...Ah, right! The first gathering was obtaining the country through war, this one here…It’s for making the country completely there’s…Now I get it!

Nodding at myself, I felt good upon figuring something out!

It’s just that…

Didn’t they steal the country from Icklish, who had nearly taken it as theirs? And…Why has it taken so long for them to completely make the land that used to be Gelmain as completely part of Setchra?

Mmm…

I was sure that the Warmonger was talented and all, but personally I started to wonder what he’s been doing to take so long to get the newly part of Setchra under control!

Shrugging my shoulders, just before entering into the hall, I decided that if I find out, I might only find out later…So why bother worrying about it now?

Normally, at these types of events, I tend to go unnoticed, and I prefer it that way!

I say as little as possible and eat as much as my ‘Princess’ behaviour allows me too, and then I leave…That’s the plan!

Sitting down in my place, that was next to the Warmonger...I tried to not give myself any unnecessary attention.

Luckily, I had not been singled out yet, well, not since I married and lived within this huge, crazy palace...

The King has rarely said anything to me, making me believe that I was missing something. The Queen has been kind but never went out of her way for me, for that I sort of appreciate it. But, now…

There’s that Venus woman!

She really was Venus!

I wanted to point at her and say…I don’t like you!

Taking a breath, I got over it…Except, I felt like she was glaring at me still…Why?

Did I knock over a bucket, while in this form too!?

Getting up to bow to King Sollace, we then all sat back down again afterwards...

Let the boring event begin!

Actually, I was always put behind the times in this place, even though I became a maid every so often to find out a few things…

I never seemed to know everything that is going on, sensing that something wasn’t really quite right! Seriously, I’ve spent quite a number of days as a maid and it’s like they have been told to not tell me anything! But…How could that be! Why!?

…It sort of makes me depressed. I wanted to know everyone's little, dirty secrets, yet...I always only hear one or two...

Honestly, I thought there was a lot more skeleton's in closets around here!

Well, I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more skeleton’s in closets…So, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just not going to the right areas to find them!

…No one has come to visit me when I was the Princess Consort and I was told by the Crowned Prince that I would be a lot more safer staying in my living quarters…

We had a big chat that night of our wedding, as he openly stated that he will not touch me and that he had said that he will make sure I don’t get bullied and that I should quietly sit and do nothing.

…Me? Do nothing!? Are you joking!?

If I did nothing, I’d go absolutely crazy!

But…Perhaps telling him this had made him act differently towards me…

Since then, the Crowned Prince and I might not have real conversations, but he would tease me a lot!

If I spoke, he would state something wrong with the way I had spoken or what I had said…

‘My wife should not say ‘wanna’ or ‘gotta’, as it is not proper etiquette for a Princess!’

‘My wife is quite outrageous, is it perhaps that time of the month, my dear?’

Arghh…

So, I had tried not to speak at all, ignoring him to the best of my capabilities!

…And that had not worked either!

If I didn’t speak, he would then stare or glare at me until I could no longer handle the silence and nearly yell out, ‘What!?’

He’d seen me talking once, I had been talking to Theo who I’ve been hiding since coming here, but he told me that I must be in need of a doctor.

‘It is a serious matter when one talks to themselves, my wife, shall I call for the doctor then?’

Then, I had turned around in a huff and told him that he should just divorce me and get someone else if he is so unhappy with me doing whatever I want!

Hehe, he didn’t seem to like it when I brought up divorce, so when I am fed up with him, that is what I’ll use…And it works, as he would normal go silent and then walk away!

Strangely, after those days, he would not tease me as much and a gardenia would pop up out of nowhere!

…It had to be him…

But…Why would he give me a gardenia? I already knew that I was pure and sweet!

Was he…Mocking me?

So…I guess he was just wanting forgiveness or stating that he was sorry…

Then there were the times that he would bring up his second wife in front of me and I would gladly tell him to go back to her and why was he talking to me!?

A few times now, the Warmonger would make me handle some things within our living area, which was the Crowned Prince residence, and I’d fall for a trick and do it!

He made me feel like I was useless and couldn’t handle it, so I would do the job whole heartedly, making him only look at me with smug look on his face afterwards!

Yeah…I don’t wanna fall for that anymore!

Having been with my father, I knew a bit of business and how to look after people…Actually, that wasn’t a problem!

Having to go through the accounts of the residence was easy and I have even come up with a few ideas to minimize spending money that the Crowned Prince was grateful for…But…He had tricked me…Bloody Warmonger…

Honestly, the Crowned Prince who was adored by so many…Was a strange person! And, he was so annoying!

He was…An idiot…

Actually, I knew he wasn’t an idiot…I was completely in denial about that because I could almost feel his majestic aura floating around him.

He was a leader, a talented person that makes you feel like he belonged exactly where he was!

With a great future ahead of him where he was to be the next King of a magnificent country, many people held him in high esteem!

Bah, it was too much!

His light was just too damned shiny for me!

So…I treat him like he wasn’t someone like that! I glare right back at him, I tell him outright that he was a Warmonger and that he should try to take up singing or dancing!

…Maybe I was just jealous because he was so good at everything, but yeah…I’ve come to always seem to make a fool of myself whenever he and I are alone…

Sigh…

When I was with my father, I was too hot to handle…Making me sure that my father gladly gave me to the royals. Did he think that they will handle me, uh?

Which, in fact, was a perfect reason to find my disappeared father…It was because I want to punch him!

One punch for demanding me to do this! One punch for disappearing before I could state my objections!

I’ll…Take a punch back because I didn’t attempt to talk to him for six months though…Yeah…

Bah! It’s in the past now as I would just prefer to know if he was alright.

…I was beginning to really worry about him!

Now, I have made a way to get information, I was just still behind in obtaining it...Not only with Theo to help me, but my being a maid also helps me…Except…Obviously, no one knows about my father!

He was like, a big nobody here in the palace!

Why…Why did they accept me as the main wife of the Crowned Prince then!

…I simply don’t get it!

After not really paying attention, I decided to see what they were talking about outside of my thoughts.

Normally I could just listen for a few seconds and pick up some keywords, and just like old people, that topic would be talked about for ages!

Hearing ‘Marriage’ and ‘Venus’, I listened and easily found out that they were talking about the upcoming wedding with my brother in law.

I had rarely seen my brother in law. It was times like now, that I could see him, otherwise…

Once I had been bored, wanting to do something and my brother in law, Elijah, had come to where I was, near a pond in the palace. We had gotten along, as I easily lowered my maturity to his level, and we were soon wanting to climb a tree after having thrown rocks in the pond together.

Yeah…The Warmonger came and stopped that!

After that so-called incident, I had not seen this brother in law of mine…

It would have helped me out though, he had been fun to play with!

Even when the Warmonger had been gone, it was like the people around me had stopped it from happening or something…I swear…There’s people in the dark that I can’t see…Watching me and my every move!

Luckily, I forget about that feeling when I’m a maid…Probably because I’m just too busy working and listening for news and secrets!

Now, the young Prince that I easily got along with and that I never get to meet, was getting married…

He was only thirteen! What the hell!? Why so early!?

Apparently, a reason some of the ‘ministers’ brought up, was because they didn’t want both of the Princes inside of the Palace…

I don’t get it! Why break em up!?

…Oh…

So, they are thinking about the possible loss of one uh?

Scary…

So…It will be in a week uh…A week and this ‘Venus’ woman will be my…My enemy…I mean my sister? Sister in law?

Whatever…

It shouldn’t be a big deal, as they wouldn’t live here right?

…What?

“This marriage is based upon the peace we had obtained with Icklish. The Prince will marry once again and move out of the palace in another year or two, as the Crowned Prince will be here more often after that. He will stay here in the palace where he will be better protected, especially since his future second wife does not give him any power here in Setchra.”

The King’s words had stunned me, especially when he had said ‘Another year or two’, and looked over towards our direction.

After a while, I sort of understood…There was a secret there once again! And…Venus was not going to be the first wife…She was going to be the second wife…

Oh, so he’s staying here!? Cool!

I would worry about a thirteen-year-old, that had lived a life of luxury, going out there on his own…Mmm…

Then I frowned, what am I thinking, he’d have what he would need!

It wasn’t like he’d suddenly become a commoner!

I felt like hitting myself to have thought everyone had been like my father and I all those years.

I still…Had not completely gotten used to thinking that royalty was different.

I still…Did not feel like the ‘Crowned Princess’…Especially since, normally, the ‘Crowned Princess’ becomes Queen in the future!

Even I know that doesn’t make any sense!

How could a commoner with no power ever become a future Queen!?

But, with this thought, it felt like the one across from me had some thoughts towards that position…

Losing my appetite, I was starting to get really angry about the glare that I knew I was still receiving from that Venus lady!

“Princess?”

Looking up at the warmonger, I smiled innocently and then looked back down, “Ah, Your Highness…Will…When…”

I always had trouble talking properly to this guy…Actually, it was mostly because I lacked in etiquette...I had training of course, but I liked being lazy!

Just another sighing matter...

“When will this be finished?” I heard him ask, like he was reading my mind.

When he does this, it makes me happier that I don't have to repeat myself or say anything at all.

He was just too damned smart for his own good, that was all!

I nodded my head and smiled innocently at the Warmonger, “Yes, Your Highness.”

He leaned forward, towards me, and smirked, “Not for a while yet, my Princess. There are toasts and gifts yet to be done.”

I let out a sigh and slump my shoulders.

I was bored as soon as I had sat down...Sigh…