Motives

"Your Highness, it is a wonderful honor and privilege to have you join me in celebrating another year of my life..."

When Arianne heard Calus laughing, she was unable to complete what she was saying because she was interrupted. Even if Arianne had known that Calus's laughter was genuine, she was confident that she would not alter her intentions in any way. She had the idea that Calus was merely a supporting actor in the drama. She needed him in order to elevate herself and her family's status in society. There is nothing further to mention in addition to that. Everything that Arianne does will be remembered by the young royal prince, no matter what it is. She is the only woman in history to have won his affection. After all, he is destined to marry her and no one else at any point in time. This is exactly what Calus had in mind when he said it. Arianne finds herself smiling on the inside after hearing Calus' endearing laugh. At long last, she was making progress with her ideas. She was under the impression that everything that was placed in her life was orchestrated to work out for the best, including the fact that she piqued the interest of the crown prince.

Arianne was aware that despite the fact that they were still quite young, she was going to need the support of the crown prince. By "threaten the bureaucrats," she meant that she wanted to threaten them with this move that she was making. It is possible that she will rescue Calus from the evil plot hatched by those corrupt officials. That was the part that Calus was unaware of. The young crown prince, who is hopelessly in love with the young lady, has no idea what her ambitions are at this point. Because he was so enamored with Arianne when they first met, it was nearly impossible for him to comprehend the reasons behind her actions. It was difficult for him to take his eyes off her.

Her tresses were see-through, much like the iridescent rays of the moon. She had rosy cheeks and eyes like the color of blood. Her physical attributes were alluring enough to draw the notice of the crown prince. With a beauty like that, who wouldn't be able to get anyone's attention? Even more, she is regarded as one of the most beautiful grandkids of the empire. Her demeanor and the manner in which she carried herself brought her fame and favor in the household of Themiore.

She already had within the empire the attention that many people sought to maintain, and this was something that she wanted to keep. She was held in high esteem by everyone, with the exception of the adversaries of her home. After that, she knew that no one would oppose her or her family with the Crown Prince's backing simply by using his title as a member of the Imperial Household. She also knew that the Crown Prince would protect them. It had been a long-held goal of the officials to bring down the Themiore, but no matter what they tried to accomplish within the Themiore household, their schemes were doomed to fail. They just intended to disregard the Themiore family for the time being in order to maintain their focus on the more pressing matters at hand, which would ultimately result in the demise of the Themiore.

Arianne saw that in order to elevate the power of her home, she required this title. That will undoubtedly make it impossible for the official to accomplish his goals. Nevertheless, there were instances when she was unable to provide the crown prince with her proposals. She had the impression that Calus may see her as being uninterested in him. This never worried her in the beginning, but after she found out that Calus had been acquainted with one of her friends in the past, she began to have second thoughts about it.

At this moment, she appeared to have both her appearance and her composure relaxed. She bowed politely to the crown prince and then turned around to face him, only to look into his golden eyes.

Arianne had an attraction to Calus for a second time when she saw his eyes signifying another tomorrow and his colorful hair dancing in the moonbeams. She had the impression that her heart was split in two. She was unsure of what to anticipate, but she was certain that she could not let her goal down.

After Arianne had finished bowing, Calus continued to laugh to himself. He never broke his fixation on the lady by moving his gaze away from her. Because he was so taken aback by her charm and attractiveness, he was unable to tear his eyes away from her. On the other hand, when he winked, mental images of the infant came into his awareness. It made Calus' eyes bulge for a split second when he saw it.

Why did the visions of the baby pop into his head all of a sudden? Why does he frequently dwell on Ismael's younger sister in his mind? Is he excited about getting his own?

Calus gave a condescending shake of the head in response to these pointless musings. He turned his attention back to the lady and held out his arms in the hopes that she would immediately take them. After that, they went to the residence of the Themiore family. They appeared to the onlookers to be a pair by walking hand in hand and acting as if they were a couple.

As Arianne continued to make her way toward the location, she couldn't help but reflect on the goals she had set for herself.

She held out hope that Calus will eventually love her more deeply. Therefore, she intends to thoroughly enchain him and keep him in her cage.

***

"Please, Herena, stay in the bedroom with Harlene. It's okay. I made arrangements to spend the night elsewhere," Ismael remarked. His tone of voice was soothing and kind. Insofar as his sister was concerned, he always complied with whatever it was that she requested from him. But he couldn't stay there for the night because he had other plans.

Ismael believed that he should continue to communicate with Herena even though she was not yet capable of comprehending the circumstances or the meaning of the words he was using. Even so, he would express his love and concern through his words. He is aware of the fact that she is an extremely valuable being to him, one that he cannot compare to simply anybody else.

"Ashwesh sshiiii," Herena remarked. Her mouth would still use phrases appropriate for an infant. She simply would not talk in a manner that was suitable for the time being. After all, she still has the figure of a young child. When she uttered those words, what she really meant was for her brother to exercise caution. She will show obedience in the home, but only to him and Harlene from this point forward. Although Herena was aware that Ismael was unable to comprehend her due to the manner in which she was speaking at the time. It makes no difference to her at all. At least she put out her best effort, and her brother acknowledged it in a favorable manner.

Ismael couldn't help but giggle as Herena puffed out his brother's cheeks.

"I am aware of that, my cherished little sister. That is the reason why I am sure..."

He said this while still holding her for the time being but promptly letting go of her as he was already gesturing with his hands. Soon, his back would fade, but before that happened, he would add something to the nanny of his little sister.

"Harlene, you better take care of my sister, all right?"

"You are correct, young lord. I will."

Harlene smiled and gave a kind expression as she responded to the question. The young aristocrat then exited the room he shared with his sister and proceeded to the Themiore household.

Ismael was aware that he did not have a companion with him when he went to the Themiore home for the lady's celebration. However, he was completely committed to not telling his father what he had in mind. He turned his attention intently forward and walked away from his sister's room without turning around to look back. He is aware that, for the time being at least, he is willing to go to any lengths to inflict pain on another individual since he is acting in this manner for Herena. Even if Herena grew up, he would never want anybody else to know what he was doing since he was ashamed of it. His one and only wish for his sister was that she always wore a genuine grin throughout her life.

Even though it meant lying, he wanted to preserve the image of his younger sister as a sweet and trusting person beaming from ear to ear.

***

"Ivian, are you absolutely positive about this?"

"You, of all people, were the one who was aware of this choice that I've had in mind for a considerable amount of time, Serena. Why do you feel the need to interrogate me at this time?"

The Duke and Duchess of the Ferrer family were currently present at Ivian's workplace. When he pulled back the curtain and set it to the side, he had already reached the window and was standing there. After that, he turned his attention to the carriage that was parked in front of their home.

Even though Serena was standing behind him, she couldn't help but develop feelings of fondness for the infant. The infant was supposed to serve as a tool for her, but the Duchess of the household had no idea why she felt the way she did after seeing Herena in her chambers.

Perhaps what happened that night was the deciding factor. The Duchess found it amusing when Herena acted as though she understood what was being said by tapping her little hands on the table in a way that suggested she did. Is it possible that this was the beginning? What she believed

However, when her husband glanced at her, her previously gentle features transformed into an expressionless ones.

"Serena, I think you have changed in appearance throughout the years."

"N-no, Ivian. I'm not. I'm just concerned that we're going to run into some difficulties with..."

She was unable to complete what she was saying because two icy hands came around to the sides of her shoulders and softly grabbed hold of them. At that moment, Ivian's piercing look cut right through her to the core of her being.

"Serena, you shouldn't even utter those phrases. We are going to have good results. I don't want to see the same mistakes made again," Ivian stated. It caused Serena to temporarily close her eyes in a response to it. After what seemed like an eternity, the Duke finally looked into the eyes of the Duchess and let out a heavy sigh. The Duchess had a troubled expression and shook her head repeatedly.

"Yes, my mistake. I promise not to bother you again with questions, Ivian."

"That's it, let's get going."

***

The hooves of the horses can be heard approaching the Themiore residence, and everyone can hear them. After entering the celebration area, a few of the nobility displayed their invitations to the knights who were there.

No one could deny the pleasant laughter and music that was being conducted by a well-known conductor while the individuals inside were chatting about day-to-day concerns with every known nobility in the empire.

The location was spacious and had been tastefully decorated to accommodate a large number of guests.

At the moment, Arianne can be found in her room. She was holding back while the correct person came around to introduce her to the other guests. While she continued to be there, she moved to a position near the window and opened the curtain. She was immediately rocked by the breeze. However, at that precise time, the lights and carefully crafted sound that she was experiencing caused her eyes to shine.

She was aware that it was going to be a very special birthday party, and it showed in the way that the corners of her lips appeared. She was well aware that having Calus by her side would fundamentally alter the course of her life. She was free to act however she wished, which was made even easier by the fact that Calus was sitting on the throne in her place even if he is merely a title holder.

She entertained the idea that one day she might be able to use him as a puppet. Then, as her eyelids continued to flutter, she gripped the curtain as tightly as she could. The moment someone eventually knocked on her door, she realized that she was being disturbed by her thoughts.

The lady's voice was soft and inviting as she beckoned you inside. It's hard to believe that she's earned the hatred of even one individual. Everyone else would share your point of view. But Arianne is already exerting her influence over everyone she can get a hold of, as far as she is concerned.

She portrays herself as a helpless creature, which enables her to quickly gain the compassion of others. Because she wanted that, she will always be seen as a feeble and delicate lady in everyone's eyes because that is how she wants to be remembered. As a result, she would be able to succeed in life and achieve a higher status all thanks to the teachings that she received from her family.

As she pulled the drapes back from her window, she noticed a servant reflecting before her.

"My lady, the crown prince will be standing at your door in a moment to greet you. He claims that he can't contain his excitement long enough to keep you waiting in the guestroom where he was before," Arianne showed her appreciation by bowing her head and smiling when the maidservant had finished speaking.

"Okay, I appreciate you letting me know, Lilia. All right. I'm going to have to go going then," despite how pleasantly Arianne's voice sounded, she maintained her smile as she addressed the maid.

The maid then performed another bow before responding, "It is always an honor to serve you, dear lady." The maid exited the room a few seconds later after she had finished cleaning it. That prompted Arianne to turn her attention to the door.

She groaned and shook her head as she struggled to make sense of the lady's illogical notions. Then she proceeded to keep her gaze fixed on the entrance. She approached the entrance while maintaining her usual demeanor, confident in the knowledge that she was prepared to deal with the visitors as well as Calus.

After answering the door, a handsome young man approached her and persuaded her to change her mind. It resulted in a shy smile on her face.

"Greetings, your highness..."

"When I am in the company of you, Arianne, it is not necessary to behave in a formal manner. I've already granted you permission to address me by my first name, so please do so," Calus said in a mellow tone.

Then Arianne flashed a grin. After then, she seized hold of Calus' arms.

"Dear guests, may I present to you all, Lady Arianne, who is celebrating her birthday today, and His Highness the crown prince of the empire, who is currently her partner," the house messenger proclaimed. The words said by the household messenger caused some of the aristocrats to groan, while others stood and applauded. While all was going on, Ivian and Serena were paying close attention to the young woman and the young crown prince. After that, there is a round of applause.

Ismael looked over at them while he sipped his cup on the other side of the table and observed them while he did so. If only he hadn't been able to step in between them as his father predicted he would, they really would have been perfect for one another.

"Later on, it will be time to shatter your joyful dreams."