I was a princess.

In the small country of Hyuera, two kingdoms were fighting each other for almost three hundred years, the kingdom of Maysiah and the kingdom of Freego.

Thus as the only princess of the kingdom of Maysiah, to end the long dispute of each kingdom, I have to marry the prince of the Freego kingdom— Louis Lux Mennet. That was the idea of my father, King Vester.

At first, I thought my father was a scum. He didn't even give a fight against the other kingdom unlike what our ancestors did instead, he sacrificed his daughter just to secure his throne.

But it changed after I snuck out of the castle and wandered into the city.

Our economy is falling, the blacksmiths who used to make our swords in the past were already gone. The supplies on the market were cut short because of the war that made most of the fields and farms ruined. And half of our kingdom is suffering from hunger.

That scenery made my eyes opened and decided to end the war by marrying the prince of the other kingdom.

Tonight was a special night, It was my eighteenth birthday and Father would announce the treaty of each kingdom along with the arrange marriage between me and Prince Louis. The whole castle was busy preparing for the arrival of the king of Freego—Noir Veigo Mennet along with his son Louis.

I'd just wandering alone, watching how the staff preparing the chairs and tables for the grand ball tonight. I remember when I was young, my mother—the late Queen used to take me with her to any ball she goes and had danced with her.

'I wish she was here.' I thought as I remembered our memories together.

Since my mother died, I spent my time locking myself in my room. Father didn't visit me once but it was okay for me, I know that he has a lot of responsibilities to do as the king of our kingdom. But there was a maid who visited me every day and talked to me.

"The sun was just out yet why are you frowning, Princess?" I glance at the old lady as she talked to me, my mood brightened as I recognized the old lady in front of me.

"Auntie Isabella!" I blurted but I immediately covered my mouth with my hands.

It's been a long time since I saw auntie Isabella in the castle. She used to be the personal maid of my mother and took care of me when I was young. I remember she was the one who taught me how to sneak out of the castle.

"How have you been? I'd never heard about you after you retired two years ago" I'd hold her hands in excitement.

"Since I left the castle, I spent my time taking care of my grandchild... how about you Princess?...you looked like your mother, the Queen" she narrowed her eyes, looked at me all over the face that made me startled. She just smiled and pulled her face back.

We continued chatting while wandering around the castle. Times like this wouldn't last too long, soon, after my father announced my marriage, I'll have sent to Freego kingdom to marry the Prince and live my life there.

Of course, Id already imagine what was life waiting for me there but I could bear it, my sacrifices wouldn't be in vain, I could stop this war and save many lives.

"Princess Victoria, let's go to your room and let me be the one to fixes your hair for the ball tonight"

Auntie Isabella and I went to my room. I sat on the chair in front of a large mirror while Auntie Isabella stood before me, holding a wooden hairbrush that she always used to me before.

"Your hair is beautiful as ever, Princess" Auntie Isabella as she brushed down my hair. "You have your mother's chestnut brown hair, as well as her sapphire-colored eyes..." she added.

I'd simply nodded and watched her braided my long hair that almost reached my waist. She curved her eyebrows as she looking at the final result, my hair was braided from both sides and tied on the back, revealing the back of my neck.

Auntie Isabella made a "Hmmm..." noise looked like she wasn't satisfied with the result. "Maybe it was too bold to show the Princess's nape..." she then undoes my braided hair and brushed it again.

"Isn't the first one was good enough, Auntie Isabella?" looking at her without moving my head an inch. She touched the sides of my shoulders and brought her face on top of my right shoulder, made our face equaled.

"Your beauty was supposed to show off tonight. So princess, be patient and wait till I found the best hairstyle that'll suit you" she exclaimed.

I looked away in the other direction and pouted, she then followed me and poked my right cheek till I gave up. "Okay, okay, do what you want just make sure that I would be pretty tonight."

"Even if you were now a maiden, you still act like a child..."

After tons of tied and untied, braided and unbraided. Finally, Auntie Isabella found the hairstyle that would satisfy her. My hair was braided on both sides, tied on the back but unlike the first one she didn't include the top and the back of my hair, some of my hair hung around my shoulders. If I were to say, unlike the hairstyles she does before this, it was rather simple.

She stepped back as I stood and looked at the back through the mirror. 'Yep, we took a couple of hours just to found a simple hairstyle' I thought.

"It's time princess" she announced as she showed me an elegant dress laying on top of my bed. It was a ruby-red dress made from smooth silk with golden lines embroidered on every edge of it, there were also gold flame shapes on top of it along with the gold strings on the middle part of the dress.

"Pretty..." I muttered.

Auntie Isabella left the room, letting me change my dress. I'd undo my clothes, standing naked in front of the large mirror, thinking.

'After this night, the country would receive its peace at last'

Id took a deep breath and started to wear the dress. The dress wasn't hard to put on. Unlike my other clothing, it doesn't require a crinoline thus, I wore it easily.

I had noticed that there was a necklace on the other side of the bed, a ruby necklace with a folded paper along with it. I sat down on my bed and unfolded it, reading a single sentence written in it.

[Be happy...]

I already knew who was this letter and necklace came from. I hurriedly ran to the door and opened it, looking around in every direction.

"Auntie Isabella?" I called but there was no one in there except a girl wearing the staff uniform.

"I-if y-you're asking for madam Isabella, she went ahead to the ball earlier" she stuttered. "I-I'm here to assist you, Princess Victoria"

I didn't say a word instead I'd let her in my room. I just assumed that Auntie Isabella wanted me to see on the ball with this dress.