young girl was being carried off the military battlefield and was pronounced dead. The screams of her denial could be heard as the vivid like dream of the scene made her scream louder ended with a gun shot.

"No! I'm not dead!" A scream can be heard in the halls of the castle. The young girl opened her eyes and breathed heavily. As the young girl looked at her hands then noticed the long light silver locks of hair falling onto her lap. She noticed her hands were a bit smaller like those of a young child.

'WHAT?!' she screamed internally as she breath heavily, running towards the mirror to take a glimpse at her appearance. Her hand hesitated to touch the mirror but she flinched from the cold surface radiating.

Suddenly the door open to reveal an old woman dressed in a nightgown looking shock but her presence seems off.

"What-...Princess Cecilia?!"

'Princess Cecilia?! I am a princess? Who is this old woman...and why did she sound shock?!'

The old woman walked up to the small youth examining her then proceed to slap her.

"You brat you made so much noise in the castle her royal highness the Empress is trying to sleep!!"

Cecilia felt a nose bleed coming on as she glanced up at the woman with blurry vision.

'My nose...and cheek. I don't get it am I Princess or a servant? This servant dare slapped me not even my own mother. I'm unfortunate to share the same name as this poor princess.' Cecilia thought as she looked up at the vicious woman.

"How dare a servant like you slap me!?" Cecilia managed to spit out before the nanny anger grew and she raised her hand again.

"Why you little brat!!"

A maid quickly rushed towards her side a girl with bright orange hair and green eyes shielded Cecilia from the hit.

"Nanny Martha, what would the emperor say when he figures out that princess Cecilia has bruises."

"Emily, you should know better to shield this bastard!! So what if she is the Emperor's favorite daughter he is not here currently! Our Princesses Clair will rule when this brat is out of the picture!" Screamed Martha as she keep hitting Emily as a group of maids come around watching the scenario.

"Drag this disobedient wench to the dungeons! Give the princess no food for 3 days and lock her in! If she tries to steal food beat her!" Martha glared as she walked away walking back to her quarters as Emily is dragged away.

"What kind of life this is for a princess!" Cecilia mumbled out loud as she heard the door close then locked. She looked on the desk and saw an arrangement of boxes but one caught her eye that she opened briefly.. It had the empire's crest. The Emperor's special crest was on it.

Cecilia opened the box to see a letter in the most gorgeous paper and writing.

'My dearest daughter, Cecilia. I hope all is well, I'm sorry I'm away for the holidays but, just for you I am coming back to spend time with you. I shall be coming back soon after this war ends. I shall return home on XXXX date.'

The letter looked like it was written not too long ago, Cecilia quickly ran towards a calender on the wall with a circle on a date.

"He's coming back in two days, no, I can't stay here! I-" Cecilia turn towards the mirror and saw her fragile body the form a 8 year old with bones showing. She is suffering from malnutritious and she knows it but she has to leave.

Stuffing a rotten backpack with items and clothes she looked back at the note. Only her newfound father cares for her, this poor princess couldn't get a break in her old life.

As Cecilia opened the balcony what greets her is the roar of thunder. She didn't flinch from the rain but she took her chances. The cold rain drench her as she walked out to the balcony barefoot and looked up at the sky. With hesitation she leaped off the balcony and caught a tree branch. The branch violently swayed back and forth as she shimmied up the branch towards the trunk of the tree.

As she got closer the wind shook violently little did she know someone was watching her. Cecilia went flying of the branch as she realized her mistake she flew down. She barely had strength to hold on to the branch and if she fall, she might break something or else, death.

Cecilia screamed before she hit the floor she felt as light as a feather, comforting warmth and being cradled by someone. She wanted to open her eyes but the shock was too great from her malnourished body to keep awake. She will never know what kept her safe.

A figure in a cloak no more then the age of 13 left Cecilia on the bed and walked away as he looked back he remembered the face and hair of the youthful princess.

"Why leave when a good show is about to begin tomorrow." The youth leaped off the balcony and walked away as he smirked in the distance.

As the morning draws near the sound of the castle bustling and servants panicking could be heard. Cecilia opened her eyes as she was still sleepy and weak she still wondered what saved her. Was it a dream?

"The Emperor is coming soon! We must prepare, for he is coming tonight!"

"Make his favorite dishes and get his fine garments!"

The sound of the keys jingled in the door as the head maid came in with two other maids.

"Grab the princess!!"

Cecilia couldn't protest she was shaking violently and scared of what might happen, she can't defend herself. The two maids quickly held her down as the elderly head-maid had a soup in her hand.

"Well, Princess you are permitted to eat...." The elderly head-maid pour the soup down Cecilia's throat. "But eating has a price at the mercy of our empress and that price is poison."

Cecilia clenched her teeth as she struggled weakly and her gaze was cold to the head-maid. The memories of the original host body floods in as she remember the mother was held the same way for poisoning.

'These maids are genuinely evil! The killed the original host mother in cold blood, the empress.'

Cecilia needed time to think as the bowl of "broth" came closer to her mouth. She kicked and screamed knocking the broth away quickly.

"I'm not hungry! Leave-" instead of a command leaving her mouth a hand comes and clench her small face.

"What a waste! Our new empress wants this bastard dead!" the head-maid as she shoved Cecilia down to the ground next to the spilled liquid.

'I have to get away!' Cecilia made a crawl for the door. All she wanted was the flee the room but everything seems against her. She got up quickly but was pulled by her hair.

"Stupid brat! Might as well make you lick the rug to get that poison working or suffocation either or." The maids pushed Cecilia face the floor. Screams of the young princess sound like bloody murder.

"Let me go! Let me go! Father will not forgive you!" The youthful princess cried as she squirmed under the maids grip.

"Your Father won't notice the children in his sucession missing. Besides you are not the heir at all so your not the legal princess anymore!" the headmaids mocking words hurt Cecilia but didn't bug her much as she just wanted to leave the palace buy firs she need to escape this abuse.

"Help!" Cecilia forced out the help but it was enough to force some poison in. Cecilia groaned as the maids backed off watching the girl lay there in pain. The blood creeped up her throat as she spat it out.

"Finally..." grumbled one of the maids as they walked away and closing the door leaving Cecilia in the dark motionless. As the night draws near and the arrival the emperor was close newly soon to be crowned Empress Tila was humming as she brushed her daughter's Clair, hair.

A maid nervously came in as she kneeled in front of Tila. The mauve eyes that meet the maid's was cold and her lips twisted into a smirk.

"Is it done?" A voice softly replied to the maid actions as the young Clair looked back curiously.

"Yes, your grace." the maid happily replied as she smiled at the woman in front of her.

"Good, here's yours and the other maids reward." Tila threw a sack of gold coins. Tila walked back over to Clair who was waiting patiently for her mother. "Now leave me and my daughter alone."

The maid backed out happily clenching the bag of coins. As Tila slowly brushed Clair's hair she slowly put a veil on.

"My daughter you will be declared heir soon, how do you feel about that? Excited?" Tila twisted a lock of Clair's hair as she looked down at the small girl. Clair was no older then Cecilia and was beautiful but she knows what her mother did for her is for her own good.

So she has a rotten attitude like her mother.

Clair smiled and giggled hugging her mother. "Of course mother, why would I not be excited! I heard Cecilia's betrothed is handsome! I can't wait to marry him in the future, he'll be my future husband!"

"Good girl!" Tila smiled at Clair as she guided her to Cecilia's room as she walked over to the door. Slowly opening the door as it opens to a convulsing Cecilia.

"Nothing can be taken away from you, my sweet girl."

Cecilia winced in pain sprawling out on the floor as Clair and Tila watched the poor girl gasp for air as form with blood leaked from her mouth.

'I can't die, I can't die. Help.' As Cecilia try to reach out for Clair she was meet with a harsh slap on the hand and a stomp on the hand.

"Dirty trash, like you, should have never been born! You and your mother are the vain of my existence. Once I remove your name from the royal family tree no one will remember the abandon princess Cecilia. No one."

Tila's voice turns cold and sinister she sounded like the rumored Empress to be. Cecilia whimpered in audible speech as Clair sinister smile appeared.

"Sister, you should be happy that mother spared you an horrible death!"

'I can't take this anymore I have to fake being dead. Maybe I can escape when she leaves.'

Cecilia couldn't believe a child could be this horrid and especially to her own sister. Cecilia laid in defeat on the floor blank eyes and drool leaving her mouth. Her breathing slowed down. Briefly, she laid motionlessly.

"Let's go Clair. Cecilia Aetos has died and crown princess Clair Aetos is alive, thriving."

Tila shut the door, walking faraway and thinking she left a corpse to be disposed of soon. Cecilia slowly got up if it wasn't for her resilience she would have died again. The poison was spreading quickly she had to act fast and get help.

'What kind of family is this?! Poisoning and blaming each other for power. I was the crown princess and heir yet, you dealt your cards right enough, to try to get rid of me.'

As she limped and clutched her stomach. She slowly reached the balcony only greeted by a slightly tall cloaked figure her golden eyes meet the figures eyes briefly a hint of green can be seen.

"....."

"I-If you're here...to kill me then I won't go down without a fight..."

The figure dropped a box and kicked it to Cecilia, baffling her in the process. As Cecilia bent down to pick it up, she started wobbling from standing too quick. She fell forward and clutched the box to her chest. The figure caught her, the same familiar scent and warmth from the night before. As she heard the figure's voice it sounded familiar.

"You are weak. Let me help you." the figure picked her up and placed her on the bed. Opening the box he poured a light green liquid into her mouth. Cecilia's lips stained from blood and medicine slowly eased up from her strain.

The figure pulled down his cloak briefly when Cecilia's eyes flutter. His hair was of a black color and green eyes as green as jades. She couldn't see clearly, all blurry and like she was burning from a fever with fatigue. The boy quickly noticed and as he pulled his hood back up he turned quickly.

"I'll get some food for you." after what seems like forever the boy hopped back on the balcony with a small container of soup. He stayed to see her eat slowly and left shortly. Cecilia looked at the figure exiting the door.

"Wait. What's your name?" She called as he looked at her. The boy's lip parted and he smirked as he approached her from afar.

"Rainier."

He slipped away quickly as the adonis took off his cloak as he hit the ground revealing an outfit made for a prince.

"Prince Rainier!"

Rainier quickly picked up the lantern he had earlier as he pretend to look aimlessly for something. The guards draw closer as he heard footsteps. Rainier looked up as the light is flashed on him.

"Prince Rainier, what are you doing here by yourself?" the guard questioned.

"I was strolling and I thought I heard a noise so I draw out my weapon and followed it here." Rainier rubbed the back of his neck as he sheepishly pick up the sword.

"Well, your highness. The Emperor is looking for you and he needs to plain tomorrow's event. Him and the empress with Princess Clair are dinning in the hall." the guard advised.

"Ok." Rainier chimed as he followed them looking back briefly at Cecilia's room.

'Princess Cecilia, I want to know. Are you weak or strong. Either way, you are my responsibility and will be protected regardless of strength. We have 5 years to make it or break it.'