Mirabel's pov :

I remember the first time I came to the capital. I was filled with excitement...

My new life..

I used to live with my mother in the countryside. We were poor but we were happy.

Then suddenly my mother fell ill and that was when she told me that she used to be a maid in the Baron's household and I'm his daughter.

My mother died due to sickness and I was all alone.

And that was when my father, the Baron came. He said he was searching for me and my mother but it was too late for she had already gone. He then decided to take me in and give me a good life which he couldn't give to my mother.

He's a really good father. He cares about me genuinely.

When I was at the capital I attended a lot of tea parties. It was really fun and all of the nobles were interested in my life story. But what interested me the most is the queen of the high society... the crown princess, Lady Salvarina Salvair..

I saw her at a few parties since due to my low ranks I couldn't attend much of the parties hosted by the higher ups.

Every time I saw her, her blue eyes seems to draw me in. She looked like a doll. She was known as the perfect lady. Unlike me who was clumsy and innocent, she was mature and.. Perfect.

I idolized her.. How I really wanted to be friends with her...

Everytime I managed to talk to her I will get swept away by the crowds of people who wanted to get close to her. Then one day, I decided to befriend her no matter what. We both arrived at the coming of age ceremony of his highness the crown prince.

With my sheer determination I walked towards her.. Again, I got swept away by the huge swarms of people. I stumbled back and was about to fall when someone caught me.

It was his highness the crown prince!

Prince Alexander Von Rultaz!

"I apologize you're highness!" I quickly removed his grasp and apologized while bowing my head.

Suddenly I caught everyone's attention?

" It's fine but are you alright?.. Please raise your head and let me check -"

Just as he was saying I raised my head and looked at him smiling. He stopped mid sentence and he gasped.

Is something on my face?.. I thought at that moment.

As he was staring at me...I noticed his face.. He had golden eyes that was as bright like the morning sun and golden hair that resembles his eyes. He was really handsome.

"you're highness, you've finally arrived" someone's voice broke us from our trance.

As I turned to see who it was.. It was Lady Salvair. Her face remained neutral. It's like we can't tell whether she's happy to meet the crown prince or if she's mad.

I did a greeting and bowed quickly. Since it hasn't been long for I had started to practice etiquette my greeting was sloppy. I was embarrassed by my own greeting when I heard his highness mumble

"cute" while looking at me amused.

My cheeks were burning red by his highness's remark..

Then suddenly the music began playing as I noticed that it was time for dancing.

I quickly decided to flee to the side as it was time for his highness to dance with Lady Salvair. But as I was about to leave I saw a hand held out towards me and as I looked up it was his highness's. I heard many gasps from the nobles but when I looked at Lady Salvair her expression was neutral just like before. There wasn't a slightest change in her expression.

I was fretting whether to take his hand or not. But denying the crown prince is punishable so I accepted his highness's offer and began dancing with him.

"I'm sorry your highness, I'm not a very good dancer" I apologized meekly.

"It's alright besides I like dancing with you" he chuckled.

"Now raise your head.. How am I supposed to see your face when you lower your chin like that?" he asked.

I raised my face and looked at him in the eye.

I noticed the details of his face.. He was extremely handsome..

Lady Salvair is really lucky.

"Hmm.. What are you looking at?" he asked me.

"Lady Salvair is really lucky" I accidentally mumbled and he heard it.

He again chuckled "Is that so?"

"Yes-s" I replied nervously and again lowered my head.

He touched my chin and slowly raised it.

"Didn't I tell you not to lower your face?"He said with his deep and manly voice.

"I-I'm sorr-y-y" I stuttered.

What is this! Why am I feeling so hot suddenly! Even my heart is beating so fast! It's weird.. It's my first time feeling like this..

He was chuckling and like that the dance came to an end.

"Thank you for this beautiful gift, Lady Mirabel"

As we were about to let go of each other he pulled me in and whispered in my ear.

I turned red and I quickly ran away from him to the balcony. My heart was beating like crazy.

His highness called me my name!

He didn't call my last name but instead he called me my first name!

Whenever I think about that moment my heart beats fast.. Is this what they call love?

No!

How can I love his highness the crown prince!

He's already engaged to Lady Salvair!

I decided to rub off any feelings that I have for him.. Since it is for the best.

But I couldn't...

After that day his highness would frequently visit me and even sent me gifts.

Just when I was trying so hard to keep my feelings bottled up he was making it hard for me.

And then one day while both of us were sitting together in the garden he told me stories about how he slayed monsters during the hunting festival and even promised me that he would hunt a majestic animal for me during the next hunting festival.

Slowly I kept finding myself drawn to him and then one day.... we kissed.

I was squealing whenever I thought about it. But then I remembered Lady Salvair. It shouldn't be like this! Alex is going to be the next emperor and Lady Salvair the empress.

How can I a mere Baron's daughter even dream of having his highness?

I kept sulking.. There's no other choice I'd have to tell his highness the truth and distance ourselves from each other.

Just when I was thinking about how to say this, Lady Salvair came to our mansion.

"L-Lady S-Salvair" I was surprised at her sudden visit.

She said she wanted to talk about something as I gulped knowing that this is about me and his highness. We talked and during the entire time she remained expressionless. Even her tone was neutral.

She drank her tea and spoke to me saying that I should keep my distance from his highness since it's going to affect all three of us. She said it's for the empire and that I should understand the circumstances.

All the while she was talking she kept saying about the empire and our reputation.. Not once did she say about her own feelings..

Our talk came to an end.

"I hope you understand, Lady Melody" she said.

"yes" I replied and she left.

When I finally met Alex I told him about our relationship and that we should end it. He became furious and shouted.

"It's because of that woman.. Isn't it!"

"No it's not like that your highness.. It's true that Lady Salvair talked to me about it but I feel the same -"

"Enough!.. That damn woman! She's scared of loosing her power! I can see that wench is even threatening you"

"No your highness she didn't -"

"No one threatens my woman"he said while walking away not allowing me to complete what I was saying.

The next thing that I know is that she was no longer the crown princess..

"Salvarina Salvair!" Alex shouted while calling her name.

"I think we should end this.. Our engagement I mean" He spoke.

"No, your highness you can't do this because of me!" " I said while clinging his arm but he doesn't seem to budge.

"Why your highness??.. I behaved like a proper fiancé.. I trained hard to be by your side and be your wife!.." Lady Salvair voiced out still maintaining her calm demeanor.

"That's exactly the reason. Your love. I can't feel it. You train hard to be the crown princess and the future empress but who I want is a wife and you're not suitable for it. I found someone who I truly love" He said while glaring at her.

"Your highness don't say that! You are hurting her!" I'm trying to stop him and he finally looked at me.

"Oh mirabel, you are too kind. You even care about her who bullied you" he replied.

Bullied?... She never bullied me though?

I was confused as to what was even happening..

Alex once told me that he hated Lady Salvair cause she was too good in all she does to the point that his father even told him that she would be a good ruler than him. Always being compared to her he was feeling suffocated and that's why he despised her but when I tried to talk to him by saying that she loves him he told me that she doesn't... He told me that their engagement is a political one and that there is no love between them...

At that time a thought passed my mind.. Is it alright to have Alex's heart?

Alex hates her so much to the point that he is fakely accusing her of bullying me.

What should I do? I want to voice up and tell the truth but I was too selfish.

In my selfishness I didn't notice Lady Salvair's expression.. Her calm and neutral face was no longer visible instead it was replaced by the face of a woman in love.

Her expression reminded me of myself as it was the same expression that I had when I saw Alex with her..

She loves him?

What have I done?

Just when I was about to say something she ran away..

She ran away and disappeared from our sight..

As I stood there with my heart filled with guilt.

After the huge storm Alex took me to the palace. He talked with his father about our relationship and what I can't believe is that his majesty approved!

I was extremely overjoyed with this news but there was still a pang of guilt inside me.

At night whenever I tried to sleep Lady Salvair's face would come to my mind.. It made me difficult to sleep.

I finally decided to apologize to her.. when I'll meet her..

My days at the palace went by tiresome training to be the empress. It was really hard. The politics is really confusing and I'm even bad at geography. The only thing I'm good at is theology but it doesn't really have much of a use when I'll be the empress.

I wonder how hard lady Salvair had to work to be this capable..

I wish I could be like her as well..

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A/N : Thanks everyone for 1k views!

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