Aristele was a weak child. Hiding behind the skirts of his older sister, his fingers clutched onto the fabric with desperation. He wanted nothing more than to hide from the world—vanish from existence and escape the suffocating pressure. Aris despised the position of Crown Prince and how pathetically vacant his power was. Despite being second only the Emperor, he could do nothing as the maids angrily lashed out at him. Aris silently endured the cold treatment, the bruises blossoming like heliotrope ivy across his skin. Silently sobbing at night, he believed that no one could hear him.
He had been wrong—he was absolutely pathetic. Hiding behind his older sister, Aris watched as Lumielle effortlessly navigated the rocky shores. Her decisions were swift and she moved without a modicum of hesitation. It was almost as though something was chasing her. Sometimes, she looked desperate. Aris could do nothing but let the waters guide him—how long would he simply let his sister do the work for him?
Fingers gripped the hilt of his sword, he was bothered by his own incompetence. Adults terrified the Aris. He despised their looming figures and their voices—his own father, a man that was masked in mystery, was no exception. Yet, he was here inside of the throne room. The gilded walls glittering as the man that had given him life stared down at him.
"Aristele Damian Castillo," The Emperor declared, his golden eyes were blank. His own son was in front of him and there was not a hint of kindness. In fact, he looked mercilessly down at the boy who placed his hand over his chest and bowed, "Is there a reason you asked for such a hasty audience?"
Aris kept his head bowed, his heart was pounding inside of his chest. He felt flustered with anxiety suffocating him—words, he needed to speak. He needed to move his lips, "I wanted to talk about my sister's education." Though his words were weak, they were audible.
"What about Countess Fleur?" Eldrige asked, the crown on his head was lopsided. The color looking the same as his tresses. His son was bowing in front of him; Aris had never been so bold before. The passive son that he had raised was always somewhat disappointing for him. Lumielle treated him like a fragile object and Eldrige always tutted that his son would grow too weak.
Aris raised his head; his eyes were unwavering as they stared at the Emperor, "She's been physically beating my sister to the point where she cannot walk. I believe that if this continues that she'll be unable to walk."
"And what would you like for me to do?" Eldrige asked as Aris gritted his teeth.
"Harming the Imperial Princess is punishable with death," he spoke, remembering the lesson that the Viscountess had recited for him.
Eldrige placed a hand below his chin as if he was deep in thought. This was the first that he had heard about the Countess's abuse. Aris didn't seem to be lying, "Excuse me," Helio spoke entering the room, "The Imperial Princess wishes to enter."
Aris turned around to face the male who gave him a polite smile, "Let her enter. I suppose we should hear this from your sister, Aristele."
Lumielle had rushed to the palace. What was Aris doing? Attempting to smooth her dress and calm the slamming of her heart, she confidently raised her head walking inside the throne room. Her father sat upon the cathedra—his eyes glowed like a beast's and she remembered kneeling upon the velveteen ground begging for her father's love. He only looked down at her like a nuisance. "I greet the Sun of the Empire," Lumielle said curtsying lowly to the ground.
"I believe you know the reason that Aristele is here. Is what he saying true?"
Lumielle looked at her brother and then back at the Emperor, "The Countess has been severe in her punishments."
Her brother bit his lip, "Severe is quite lenient, Father."
Eldrige raised his hand to stop Lumielle from speaking, "Then, I suppose that she should be punished. I shall have the Viscountess teach Lumielle from this day forward. If that is all, the two of you can leave."
Did she hear it correctly? Her father was going to punish the woman? Lumielle bowed her head, "If I can, I would like to speak to the Countess alone, before you give her a punishment, Father." She already knew that it would not be a severe one. Yet, she was quite surprised that he had sided with her. Perhaps, she was changing him. Maybe, he was going to be kinder. Maybe, she had the chance to stay by his side.
"If that is what you would like. Please refrain from such meetings like this in the future."
With that, the two siblings were left out of the throne room. The second the doors closed, Lumielle hugged Aris. Her arms were around him as his eyes widened, "I'm proud." Her words were a quiet whisper as Aris clutched his sister's dress, "You did so well, Aris." He must have been terrified to speak in front of him all alone, and yet he had.
"You have to trust me more." His voice sounded pained as he closed his eyes, "Please?"
There was no reason she should promise him anything that she couldn't keep, so all she did was keep her arms around him. She thanked whatever God that she could, holding him was a blessing. Her brother had been cruelly killed due to her own conspiracies. It was all her fault and now, she had a chance. She had a chance to save him from death. That was right. Lumielle needed to steel herself—there was no room for error.
She stayed silent.
. . .
The positions had been reversed. The Countess was on her knees as Lumielle sipped her earl grey tea, "The only reason your alive is due to me begging my father to spare your life." It was a lie, yet the only people that would know the veracity of her claims would be her brother and the Emperor himself. It was not as if Countess Fleur would be able to speak to him freely.
Placing her teacup down, Lumielle gave her a sweet smile. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" She inquired her fingers stroking the older woman's cheek, "Your life is mine. I'm the one that saved you. Every single breath that you take is mine. Every single time your heart beats, it beats thanks to me."
All a lie.
A lie that she would never know. To the Countess, the truth was what Lumielle made it to be. After all, that was all the truth was. To the older woman, she was being benevolent and would never know the truth. "I-I thank the Imperial Princess for her kindness and benevolence," her voice was a stutter as Lumielle took her teacup and dumped the contents onto the Countess.
"Don't mistake this for kindness," she spat out, "It disgusts me."
"I apologize," the woman said, a sheen of sweat was on her face. It seemed that she had finally learned her place. Lumielle's plans had been shattered after Aris's unpredictable stunt as such, she quickly needed to make a new one. Fine, it would be a waste to let the Countess live freely. After all, she had abused Lumielle—it was not as though she was free from sin herself.
Sneering, Lumielle pulled out a handkerchief wiping her hands and crumpling the silk—she tossed it in the face of her former teacher, "I'll contact you when you're useful. Don't forget that your life is now mine and pray that I contact you soon. I don't need useless pawns."
Evangeline crossed the drawing-room not even batting an eye at the woman on her knees, drenched in tea. Pouring Lumielle a new cup, she took a sip of the beverage. Sweet, she realized that Evangeline had sweetened it with honey, "You can leave."
Shuffling, the Countess bowed her head, her hair sticking to her face as Lumielle crassly laughed. Pathetic, "You have a letter."
A white rose was handed to her as slender fingers took the vellum—the seal of the Grand Duke. Her eyes scanned the words; he was inviting her to his manor for tea. Since they were children it couldn't be seen as a courtship. A couple of years in the future, she would have to be wary of these types of invitations. Luckily, she hadn't gotten many as she hadn't yet debuted in high society. Looking at the white rose, she lifted it to her nose inhaling the scent. It was nice.