My heart could not understand how powerful his ruby eyes were, the gaze that fixated on mine was simply that strong. For moments, even the stinging pain had faded, only to remind me again of it's origin.
"I apologize for the intrusion and for being disrespectful, but I ask once again, your Highness. What is happening here? Why is Princess Anneliese's cheek red?"
"She is merely embarrassed by a matter we brought up on our conversation..."
"Tears do not simply emerge in family conversations, just like how such conversation is not usually heard in the entrance."
He must be wishing to receive death sentence. My thoughts overlap, obviously, but father is not punishing or abusing his power, somehow he is allowing such level of disrespect.
The young man has enough courage, even if only two or three years older than me, to confront the King himself and avoid any and all consequences.
How enviable.
If I had my adult strength and body, I would not be in this situation. This burning mark on my face would never be here and perhaps I would also be bold enough to contradict him.
"I am telling the truth, Marquess Sallvati. Is that not right, Anne?"
Out of all times, he chose to call me Anne now. Not once in my life has he called me by that, not even when our 'family love' was supposed to be shown.
How can I say I love him as a father? After all of this, it seems impossible. The best for him would be to throw his body to a container of snakes and slowly decapitate him as his body gets eaten and filled with poison... That would be with mercy—
No. No, no, no... I am not supposed to think such things, at least not this time. What am I doing, falling in madness? Regardless, with emotions like these encumbering my self, there is no doubt I would let craziness overtake.
I believe I am in the right, and for such unreasonable reasons he hit both Argus and me, his only daughter. I always thought he would never raise his hand to woman, so I was ready to handle whatever psychological punishment he would give, but not physical. Even such things seem to be fabricated for his public image.
I hate my current self and I hate that it required physical abuse for me to wake up to my current reality.
In this body, I have merely been alive for eleven years, but not just that, I have also tried to contradict my past self and search for my family's love.
The current me is powerless, completely useless even. No matter what I intend to be, a wrong step and I would endanger the ones that truly care for me.
"What is it, princess Anneliese?"
How frustrating... Not even digging my own nails into my skin seem to resolve this anger deep inside me.
What is more frustrating, however, is the fact the king himself is lowering his ranking and attitude to accomodate a marquess. In my time there were none like them, Andre never even talked about a Sallvati noble family existing.
Knowing there are those more powerful than the ones you despise is truly painful, especially since I cannot do anything about it.
"Would it be possible for all of you to leave? The conversations have drained my energy, I am also starting to not feel as well."
This is fine. At least this way, I can avoid any problems and he cannot refuse or else it would worsen the marquess' attitude.
"Very well... However, would it be possible to spare some time for a conversation? It is partially the reason I have come here."
Even the king himself is surprised by this, but he seemed to have enough courage to make him retreat his words.
As Marquess Sallvati makes his request, he places his hand on his chest, right in front of his white and scarlet coat, bowing down as his dark bangs covered the mysterious eyes only he possessed. His mouth moved slowly, as if to say something.
"I. Can. Help. You." Although only a mutter for me, the words that were mimicked in his mouth were real, or at least I wish them to be... If he can truly help this useless version of me...
"Very well, as long as you do not mind my current conditions."
"Not at all, your Benevolence."
I had only one last thing to do for us to become alone, but after experiencing this pain, my body is hesitating to do anything of the sort. My fingers keep on trembling.
"Your radiance." The corageous young man addresses the king, turning away from me with a smile. "Would it be possible for you to leave us? I wish to speak to lady Anneliese alone."
"Of— Of course, go ahead."
Once again, he has defended me. Why would he go to such lengths... Why does he have so much power? Who exactly is he?
With a sigh, the young noble turns to me, right knee on the floor, hand in his chest and his head looking down to the carpet. Now alone, he finally greets me.
"Although it would have been best to meet you at a different situation, it is a pleasure to meet you, your Benevolence, the Kindness of the Kingdom, Lady Anneliese."
Such title does not fit me at all.
"Why does the king have almost to no authority with you? I have never heard about the Sallvati family, and I believe a Marquess is usually older than you."
I have to at least ask this much to try to understand anything.
"Yes, you are indeed right. My name is Viktor Sallvati, son of Duke Rikard Sallvati. My title is merely hereditary due to my father's position." He makes a pause, returning his vision to mine. "My family is what made possible for the Aryalis family to become royalty, so obviously, we also have enough to take it away. We sometimes... abuse that to have our way."
"Then why are you not using it now?" It just does not make sense. "Why do you bow your head and speak so formally when you could just treat me as if I was a simple commoner."
"I would never do that to a beautiful lady such as yourself. Flattery aside, however, I do not wish to belittle your health, not right after being hit by your own father."
My father... I do not believe I will be able to call him such thing after what has happened today. In my thirty years, besides the time I was still a baby, the only time we ever had physical contact was after he had struck my body with my own saber.
I did not believe he would hit me, but his reasons were not because of discipline or any other fair assumption, it was merely because of his rage. He was blinded by something invisible that made me ignorant to him — or rather, that made it a reason to beat me.
"After all that has happened, do you still not resent him even if only a tiny portion?"
My sense of respect for him is far too great for my own liking. I promised that I would not feel this tightness in my chest, even I do not know why I feel like this, but I only keep breaking what should have been sacred.
"I do. In this world, be it past or future, there is no one I resent more than him. It's just... That I feel hopeless in this weak body of mine."
"Then why does your Benevolence do not act? Are you waiting to reach adulthood, when you will become one of the many puppets of the king?"
Why does he worry so much?
His eyes, gems that shine brighter than a million rubies seemed to be filled with worry. Genuine emotions that not even the darkest paint could cover, and yet it does not feel right to accept them as something for or because of me.
"Do not look at me like that."
Do not. Viktor Sallvati's eyes are a wonder, so hipnotizing and desirable, so much that it slowly attracts my soul to him — No, it's charm is not due to how exotic they are.
The fact that they demonstrate Marquess Sallvati's true emotions is what brings me closer.
I feel secure around him, whether hating or being neutral to me, as long as I look at his eyes I feel like I will know the truth.
"My actions caused this bruise. I am too weak to attempt anything, so there is no other choice but to wait."
His expression seems disappointed, as if he was waiting for something else, for a different answer.
Unfortunately, I do not believe I can fulfill that wish of his.
"But what if it was possible?"
Sallvati's right hand turns into a fist, gripping it with great strength, as if it looked for an answer I could not give.
"My original reason was to come talk to you, ask you something on behalf of my father's interest, but now I wish to add my own."
"What are you talking about?"
This time he does not kneel, instead he sits on the top of my bed, one leg onto the sheets and another on the floor. He slowly removes his white glove, exposing the robust and damaged skin of his hand, approaching the side of my face in which I was hit.
"What... What do you think you are doing?"
"Just like you, as you can see, I have suffered damage. Although we are young, we both have scars — emotionally or physically, no matter how different — we both hate the king with everything in our soul."
I cannot understand his thought process, his face is too close to comprehend anything. I can feel his hot breath reaching my nose, all the way to my lips. As if it was not enough, his burned hand keeps caressing my cheek, sending a tingling feeling to my body each and every time it passes.
"Alone I would not be able to do anything, just like my predecessors I would be a slave to the family, so cooperate with me."
His hand moves to my chin, raising it enough to forcefully make me look at his eyes. Hypnotising sight he had, even without force he is able to make me look at him against my will.
"Let's change the kingdom, create the perfect political world where everyone is healthy and with a smile."
"I still do not understand..."
Against my own will, I am forced to hear his words. Just like the one I despise, I am rendered powerless against him... There is no way I can possibly win against Marquess Sallvati.
"Her Benevolence, the Kindness of the Kingdom, Anneliese van Aryalis... Please, become my future Empress."