CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 124: Mesmerized

The Emperor’s eyes sharpened.

"No." The Emperor’s words were filled with confidence and authority. He did not want to listen to Princess Valeria. There was no need to listen to her but the first Princess did not know where to stop.

"Why not?" Princess Valeria demanded. "He is a powerful mage and will keep me safe."

"He is not only a mage, Valeria. He is the Duke of our Empire. I cannot send him alone with you on vacation." The Emperor was losing his patience. He knew that Princess Valeria was an intelligent lady who knew how to control a situation and yet she was here creating more problems for him.

"But .."

"Princess Valeria." The Emperor widened his eyes as his tone became arrogant. Princess Valeria stopped in her steps as soon as she heard those words. Her mind was a mess. Although Princess Valeria wanted to fight she could not say anything to the Emperor.

’I need to keep calm.’

’He is the Emperor.’

’And my powers are unstable.’

Princess Valeria closed her eyes as she tried controlling her racing heartbeats.

"Valeria," The Emperor said, seeing the response of the first Princess. "You are the future Heir. Because of your grand display of powers, the Vivere Kingdom’s Prince and Princess have seen it."

The Emperor reasoned with Princess Valeria. "And now you want to enter their land on Vacation with a Duke. This is not how things work Valeria."

"But father, I want to breathe." Princess Valeria’s tone turned soft. Her gaze blurred as she said in a soft tone. "I want to hike."

"Do you think the Duke will be ready to go there with you?" The Emperor raised his eyes. "You both are unmarried and going on a trip together will intensify rumors."

"But that will be more beneficial for us." Princess Valeria smiled. "Duke Salvador cannot refuse if you ask him to accompany me and the rumors will make it hard for him to find a bride. Maybe in the future, he will be your son-in-law."

The Emperor shook his head. "Do you really think so?" He rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "Do you truly believe that the rumors about you both will stop any girl from marrying him?"

Princess Valeria’s eyes turned sharp as she swallowed hard. She wanted to say something but she had no valid point to add. Princess Valeria knew that what the Emperor was saying was the truth.

"Maybe I can help my sister with that." A voice came in as everyone looked back. "Let me accompany the first Princess, father."

"Cedric." Princess Valeria gritted her teeth. She wanted to say something but her words were interrupted by Prince Cedric.

"If I go with the first Princess and Duke Salvador then the people will not spread the rumors about them." Prince Cedric smiled as she blinked at the first Princess. "Don’t you think so too sister?"

The Emperor wanted to destroy everything. His children had started getting out of his hands as everyone was trying to do their own thing.

"What would happen if Prince Cedric also tried to tag along?" Princess Valeria asked the Emperor as she blinked. She wanted to blame her brother for coming in.

’I need to tell my mother about the situation.’ Princess Valeria thought. ’Cedric needs to stop if he wishes to live a long life.’

Princess Valeria’s hand formed a fist as both the siblings looked at each other with a narrowed gaze.

"Enough." The Emperor said as he looked at the secretary who was standing there obediently. "You tell me what needs to be done."

The secretary was in deep thoughts as well. He knew the first Princess power would need a helping hand. "Emperor. If you ask me we all can go there. I will write to the Vivere Kingdom to ask for their permission to enter for a few days. I know that they will not object."

The Emperor waved his hand as he said. "Do as you feel. But remember I do not want a war to break."

Everyone bowed their heads as the royal siblings left the room.

—--------

Princess Valeria was angry and as soon as they were out on the grounds she looked back at her brother and said with an irritated gaze. "Who told you to interfere with my matters?"

"Your matter?" Prince Cedric laughed as he took a step forward. "When you involved Duke Salvador, it became my matter."

Prince Cedric’s eyes sparkled as his lips curled up in provocation. "He is my friend and a person who supports me. Do you think that you can win using such dirty methods?"

Princess Valeria’s lips twitched. "What dirty methods. And even if he supports you, he is not your person. He belongs to the people. After all, he is a Duke."

Prince Cedric smiled as he touched Princess Valeria’s head. "Don’t forget your own words, Princess. I hope they come to bite you soon."

Prince Cedric chuckled as he saw Princess Valeria’s sight ready to burn him alive.

"Have you forgotten what I did with you?" Princess Valeria said as she took a step closer. Her voice turned low as if whispering. "I think I shouldn’t have spared your life back then."

"Maybe you are right sister, but I still stand by my words." Prince Cedric smiled as he looked at the first Princess with equal hate. "But this mistake that you made will cost you your life."

Prince Cedric did not wait as he walked by. But he had not gone too far before he stopped and looked back at his sister who was staring at him with an ugly face. "Before I forget. Let the secretary inform the Vivere Kingdom that I will bring my people along for my own safety. Who knows whether I will be killed in my sleep by my own blood."

Prince Cedric smiled as he saw the look on Princess Valeria’s face. He laughed as he left, leaving Princess Valeria standing there in annoyance.

—------------------

Princess Cassandra was in a daze. She touched her lips from time to time as an image flashed through her mind.

’What am I thinking?’

’What is happening to me?’

Princess Cassandra touched her heart as she smiled. Whenever she was thinking about Duke Salvador, her heartbeats started to race. Her body would become warm as her gaze wondered where the Duke might be.

[It is happening because you are in love.] The voices in her mind replied to her question.

Princess Cassandra came back to reality as she shook her head. ’I did not ask you.’

[Then who did ask Princess? Yourself?]

’Yes.’

[Are you forgetting that we are a part of you too.]

Princess Cassandra’s eyes shook. She rolled her eyes as she sneered. ’Trust me. I can not forget it even if I want to.’

[People in love are always like this.] 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

’Who said I was in love?’

[So if you weren’t in love why did you let the Duke kiss you? You even kissed him back.]

Princess Cassandra trembled. She wanted to deny it but she could not. Cassandra swallowed. ’It might be because I was afraid?’

[Afraid? Who are you trying to fool? Yourself?]

[Did you forget Princess how your heartbeats were messy. How sharp were your breaths? Weren’t you mesmerized by the Duke?]

’What mesmerized?’ Princess Cassandra rubbed her eyes as she sighed. ’Running heartbeats, being short of breaths. These are the symptoms of fright as well.’

[We know that you were not afraid, Princess. You love the man. Believe us.]

Princess Cassandra did not reply. She herself could not describe what it was. Initially, she was truly afraid of the Duke but slowly and gradually she had overcome it. Now Cassandra felt more comfortable with him. She knew she could talk endlessly with him. The feeling of being valued and treasured came when Cassandra was with the Duke.

"Maybe I am." Princess Cassandra murmured in a whisper.

There was silence in the room. No one spoke as the voices of the elements quieted down. Cassandra could imagine herself and Duke Salvador hugging each other. The memory was vivid in her eyes as Princess Cassandra smiled. Her face was pink as her eyes sparkled.

But soon the subtle atmosphere was disturbed. Princess Cassandra came back to reality when she heard the knock on the door. Her eyes shook as she got up and she walked slowly towards the door.

"Who might it be?" Princess Cassandra wondered as she opened the door.

"Amy?" Princess Cassandra said the words as she opened the door. She felt like her lady in waiting would be there with some fruits but there was a guard to surprise her.

The guard smiled as he bowed. "Princess, your lady in waiting will be here to accompany you soon."

Princess Cassandra’s eyes narrowed but she soon realized that the guard was answering her call for Amy. Cassandra nodded her head as she asked. "Why are you here?"

The guard stood straight as he said with a dull expression. "The Grand Duke wants to meet the Princess."