chapter 1 : Misfortune

The Castella Empire was the only empire in the whole continent. The empire which had been never falling even under several emperors of Castella as the ruler being an honored country boasting for almost one thousand years of history.

The current 40th emperor was the most flawless in every regard include his personality and become the most mighty and intelligent emperor than all the late emperors before himself, his majesty the emperor Geordo Ruvelis Formont de Castella, the current ruler of the empire Castella and had only one son as his heir, the crown prince Noelle Muller Clovis de Castella.

As the honorable archduke of Castella's only child, Claire Stella Romanoff was chosen as the prince's future wife as soon as she was born a year after the prince. The shining green-eyed girl with fluffy pink hair began to be disciplined as the next empress as soon as she took the first step.

She was willing to be taught as a future mother of Castella until one day when she turned 24, the emperor Geordo Ruvelis died due to his worsening health. Following him, the crown prince Noelle ascended the throne as the next 41st emperor.

Finally, the long-awaited day has arrived for Claire, the day that was destined only for her since she was born in the empire. The day she was meant to stand beside him as the empress and mother of the Castella Empire.

But, why is it that the person that was supposed to be standing next to him was not me?

She was a young saint girl with pretty long silvery hair and bright blue-eyed that was standing with pride beside the prince, waving to the people at the parade together with him. Watching Noelle, who was always ignore her feelings, smiling gently at that young saint girl, held hands in a happy atmosphere and receiving the crowns as the emperor and empress that supposed to be her place, make her felt that all the things that were meant for her were forceful get taken by them right before her own eyes.

The day she has been earnestly looking forward to, eventually makes her heart shattered into pieces. Claire was forgotten on the day the whole empire celebrated the crowning of Noelle. When pollen flew through the air and the people cheered for their happiness, Claire only watched them from the crowd. They laughed happily on the throne without ever mind of her misfortune. With a broken heart, she leaves the parade and heads toward the palace alone in sorrow.

Claire Stella Romanoff soon was chosen as the emperor's royal concubine, bowing to the young saint girl that took her place from being the empress of the empire like she was thought to be her place since she was a kid.

But one day, the day Claire can sleep with the emperor as his concubine finally arrives. Only on that night, she can get near the emperor's heart. Because of that, Claire cheerfully prepares herself with so many fragrances that will make the emperor fall into her arms. As she waits for him to come, the night getting darker until it slowly turns to dawn, she's still awaited with hope in her heart. This is my duty as the emperor's concubine and I can't sleep yet until he steps into this chamber. Her own heart was the one to comfort herself until the sky turned light blue, a bright day with great weather slowly came into her view. Claire, who was sitting on her bed, earnestly waiting for the emperor to come all night, fainted in exhaustion.

Again, Claire was forgotten by him and eventually got abandoned at the emperor's concubine palace, Attera. In despair, she sat before the window and stared at the outside in blankness.

' Last night, the emperor slept at the empress's chamber, your highness. '. the information from the chief palace official running through her mind like a hurricane, makes her heart more shattered than it has already been. a sudden single tear fell from her lifeless green eyes. She covers her face in sorrow. What did I do to deserve this? I'm meant to be loved and become his wife.. now don't say his soul, even his body is not mine at all...

In her sorrows, she sniffles while thinking about her miserable life in tears.

" What makes you think you deserve him? "

It was a very cold voice, obviously, I didn't hear anyone approaching because I was lost in my sadness. but she came to me and intensely glared at me with her beautiful blue-eyed.

" I greet the moon of Castella empire, your majesty the empress. "

" I ask you, what makes you think you deserve him? " ask her again in the cold.

Claire frowns when she smells something from the empress's dress ' She's already reeking of alcohol even though it is still daylight? '

" Your majesty.. you're drunk, you need to take a seat first. "

At that moment when I'm going to hold her shoulder to lead her toward a sofa, she suddenly slapped me in the face. Her tender eyes that always look calm turn to be fierce, her pupil shaken from trembling in anger.

My head was turned back, in shock, I held my cheek and looked at her while groaning with the pain I felt.

" Your majesty..? "

The empress stared at me for a while and she said in a cold voice again.

" I want you to get out of his sight forever! don't show your bitch body to him anymore! you dared to try to seduce him just to make him sleep with you? he's my husband! "

I was speechless for a moment with her sudden statement, trying to figure out what to say. While hesitating, she seemed already convinced that I had seduced the emperor while she was away. Even his sharp eyes, I haven't directly met at all. How could I seduce him in that state?

When I met her cold eye that was looking down at me, making me tremble in boiling anger, I felt miserable about myself. Was I demoted to be the emperor's concubine because of this woman? Why did the emperor choose this fierce young lady as his wife instead of me? Why did everyone think this girl was so tender and kind? I'm better than her in so many ways!

" Are you done talking to me, your majesty? you're drunk, so I wouldn't mind what you say toward me in this state. "

I turned away from her, who was gazing at me with her trembling eyes. Though I shouldn't be like this in this rude manner, I couldn't control my boiling anger, I might end up hitting this woman if I look at her face again.

" What..? you bitch! "

Suddenly, in her fit of rage, the empress pulled my hair and yanked it out as she wanted to pull it out from my head. my head spinning while I groan to withstand the pain I felt right in my head.

" Your majesty! Let me go! "

As she heard me beg for mercy, she tightened her grip and screamed in anger. " From the day I saw you, I know you are a bitch! you seduced my husband and wanted to seize my throne! I know it! "

I'm frown, I gasped for a breath, now pouring out all of my strength to pull her away from me. With emotions that I have been holding back, I look down at her when she's already fell to the ground in a tremble. I held the hem of my dress with my hand that started to tremble in anger.

" Do you think it's easy?! I was the one that was supposed to be in your position right now! I've been taught to be the empress for my whole life but then you come from nowhere and seize that title from me! "

Maybe because of my headache this morning, words tumbled out of my mouth in spite of myself. Finally, Claire, a lady that was taught to be mature and calm in every condition, has lost her temper against that woman. I have endured it a lot from when I first took a step in the palace as a concubine. I was boiling in rage whenever that shameless woman dared to shove her emotions on me every time she came to meet me in that state. Today, I can't control my emotions anymore.

" You've got everything! even the emperor's heart was yours! Then, what left that I could have if everything that should be mine had become yours in only a second? should I be happy and cheerful and congratulate you on your wedding with him? I'm his concubine, it's my duty to serve him due to my title! "

Concubine, even though it's a title for the emperor's unofficial wife, there is a hierarchy for the concubine in this empire. in Castella, there only empresses that above the queen, and will be followed by the royal concubine after the queen. Currently, the queen position is still empty. even though it currently like that, It's really an honor to be the royal concubine as she would help the empress and queen with their works, the royal concubine will manage all the palace women and in time of emergency when the empress or queen absences, a royal concubine would act on behalf of them. Before Claire though, there were a few royal concubines who played their roles in the history of the empire flawlessly and would get most flavored by the emperor himself if they can manage both works and private matters.

" What's going on here? "

A cold voice came from the door's direction. In shock, I tremble with his gaze at me speechless. I just can silently watch his figure quickly get near that silvery hair woman to help her stand up from the ground. A sudden tear flows through her white skin, in tears, she glances at Claire.

" Noel.. "

' Noel'? , Noelle Muller Clovis de Castella?. I gave a hollow smile at her. for my whole life I've never gotten to call him by that name, but she just says it easily like that without getting angry.

" What happened to you, Maria? Why are you crying? "

" That wicked woman... I just came here to greet her. when she ignored me, I touched her shoulder lightly but then she shoved me away until I fell and hurt my feet... it's hurt, Noel.. "

He suddenly glared his eyes at me, he stared at me sharply, and patted that woman back to calm her.

" Shh... It's okay, Maria... I got it, go and get some rest, I will follow you soon. "

I felt it's unfair and bitter when I saw him looking at her tenderly. My heart was broken again, he was soothing that woman with a warm voice that I had never heard myself. I shed tears when I watched them together, he touched her like a treasure. That was supposed to be my place instead of that fake woman! a place where he will come and comfort me whenever I get hurt, it's not that woman's place! it's mine, the title, the emperor, the people, and my own palace! it's all mine!

When she left the emperor alone with me in my chamber, I can see that tender eyes turn to look at me coldly, with contempt and a cynical smile, he smirked. I lowered my head in a broken heart with his sudden change in me.

" Let me warn you. "

I raise my head. " Pardon your majesty? "

Pang!

My head was turned back for a second time today. I was barely holding back a groan, covering my burning cheeks in a tremble. He slapped me at the same place as that woman earlier. Now, the pain doubles and makes my head more spinning than it already has. Speechless, I look at him in shock.

" Your majesty.. "

" That's my warning. Don't get near her again, don't approach her anymore. She is an innocent and tender girl. she's not a match with your cold attitude and a type you can mess with."

I was choked with emotions when he scolded me like that. I pressed my aching head in pain. Suddenly my view becomes hazy, making my leg tremble weakly. I place my hand on the wall to put pressure on my body, trying not to fall right before the emperor's eyes. Noelle smirks with her fake action.

" Did you think the empress position was yours in the first place? I wouldn't make it happen even if you were to beg me for that title, you were once respected as the future empress because that's what the late emperor wanted, but now he's gone, it's my choice to choose whom I want to marry. That place was originally reserved for Maria, not you. "

His cold gaze pierces my heart, shattering the broken part I already have, now only my soul still trying to get a hold on my emotions. Trying to accept this humiliation with my boiling anger.

" I will let you pass this time, next time I see you hurt my woman, I will make sure you will pay for it. "

When the emperor finally gets out of my chamber. My body slumped to the ground. with a heavy head and heart, I slowly get up to walk toward my bed without any help. There is a maid in my chamber but no one would earnestly help a concubine that doesn't get any favors from the emperor. even if I was the royal concubine of Castella.

Due to severe hypotension, I can't think of anything anymore. I felt so dizzy and had a headache, I couldn't get up from the bed for the whole day but no one ever came to ask about my condition.

" Was all of this my fault? Am I too greedy because I want to become the empress for my whole life in the first place? should I just die instead for them to become happy without me as a third wheel? Am I not worthy enough to even breathe in this empire? "

Claire slowly gets up from her bed at midnight and walks toward the door in lifelessness. If this will make you happy, then I will willingly retreat...

On that cold night, she walks alone in the forest behind the concubine palace without any knight to guard her. For a while, she walks into the deep forest barefoot without any thought in her mind, and finally, she stops her step. In front of the cliff in the woods, she stood in a daze. her heart has been shattered into pieces when the emperor chose someone else instead of herself. With his continuous humiliation of me, my heart couldn't bear all of this anymore.

There no reason for her to breathe in this world when the guy she's love for her whole life choose someone else and all the things that supposed to be her had become that woman property, the reason she was born was gone and now she doesn't have anything except this low title, even my own family died because they dared to object the emperor decision all just to get me this stupid title as a royal concubine. It is no use to live in this world alone like this.

" There's no point in being a concubine, Father.. He never looked at me with warmth in his eyes, I would never receive his love no matter how hard I tried. I'm tired of it.. I've done everything you asked me for, I am patient and waited for him as you asked me to, but what do I get as the return? does my life seem happy in your eyes from above there? "

With her thoughts running wild in her mind while talking like a mad person, she finally made up her mind and stepped forward to the edge of a cliff in despair.

" If I were to turn back time, I would never look at you and helplessly fall in love with you again. Noelle. Now, even a glance is not worthy for you and that woman. "

Claire bites her red little lips until it bleeds, she is scared to stand near her own death but that's the only way to stop her misfortune.

"..I would save my entire family from Noelle! all the people I love that suffers from his cruel actions, everything! I would take what was supposed to be mine! I promise to make sure I seek my revenge if I get even one more chance!"

Claire in despair clasps her hand together and looks up to the night dark sky with tears, she's begging to god.

" Oh, god of Castella, Casel god! please hear my prayers. I hope that I get to change my misfortune.. as your faithful servant, I wish for you to help me.. please. please let me met my family again... please"

With her desperate wishes, finally, she jumped to the cliff without hesitation, and eventually, she was found dead by the imperial knight the next morning.

And thus, Claire Stella Romanoff's life ended in misery.