CHAPTER 025: The Original Part II

 

The Original who was consumed by self-blame had radically altered from an energetic, brilliant, and lovely princess to a frail, unenthusiastic, gloomy girl. She began to behave how the people surrounding her expected her to behave, an obedient princess.

It did not take long before the new king and queen arrived along with their two daughters. Dominating her in the palace, removing her rights one by one, she was being mistreated.

Tormented physically, mentally, and verbally.

She did not fight back; she was obedient to the mistreatment of the new monarchs. Because she felt like she deserved what was befalling her.

Her existence was already pointless and monotonous. What good did it do her to struggle for her life and prestige? Those desolate sentiments had been racing through her mind until Caius, the crown prince, invaded her life.

Caius initially assumed he was in a similar circumstance to her; he was not an orphan, but he was dealt with like one.

The Queen of Vortrion, Caius' mother, Queen Ellana was Original's auntie too, Queen Eulasha's sister.

These sisters were overly ambitious. Each one had their ardent desires to be conducted and be fulfilled.

Eulasha wished to govern her people, in a land of her choice. Meanwhile, Ellana dreamt of nothing more than the love of her king.

They were both fortunate and got the crown. However, Eulasha's crown was not the crown she wished for. While Ellana could not grasp the king's heart, King Heron. Caius's father loved someone else. It was tragic for both of them.

Queen Ellana who was not loved by her husband blamed her son for being incompetent as the crown prince. She was insisting it was Caius's fault that her husband would not pay attention or give affection to them.

Crown Prince Caius was often overshadowed by his gifted and prudent brothers. He was eventually ignored by most of the ministers from the court. They see no future in him, he was a disappointment in the kingdom.

Queen Ellana forbade him to socialize with the people on the court to prevent making a fool of himself. So as time went on even as a crown prince, he had no leverage to become trusted by the people of the palace.

In royalty, the title was always good but being a display was not.

Monarchs needed a title and power and people, which would be greatly beneficial to the person on the throne.

It was the Royal Trinity.

A necessity to become a king.

Once a single element was missing, it would become chaotic for them to reign, eventually, they would be forced to step down from their glorified seat.

It was possible that the royalty did not have the title, but they had people and power. They could control land but there would always be someone superior to them. Without a title, they would always be inferior to someone.

Especially in this era where the status would become your best advantage.

A royalty could have title and power but not the people, that would be exceedingly difficult to trust anybody. No matter how great a person was, they could never rule a nation, if they did not have someone supporting them.

There was a huge possibility that they would not be able to usurp the throne since Seerian's legacy was all about peacefulness. A monarch that cannot lead its people would most expect to cause an insurgency.

If they have the title and people but not power. It was such a hopeless situation. What good would it be to have the title and people if they could not resist and vanquish the adversaries? And regulate those who serve them? King was supposed to rule without being ruled over.

Crown Prince Caius was not even in those three cases.

He had the title… People and power were lacking.

He had people that were working for him, yet he had no power or influence over them.

Apart from the fact that Crown Prince Caius fell for the first Princess the first time his eyes landed on her.

The background of their life was so similar that he had felt they resonated with each other… Which caused him to be in love with her deeper.

Abandoned by their parents. Unloved, unwanted. There were lonely people in the wide palace.

The first Princess felt likewise.

When Crown Prince Caius realized that he fell in love with the first Princess, he was baffled. Love was the last thing that he wanted to happen in his life. He needed power, he needed strong people, not a woman, not a lover who was as nonessential as him.

Love in this world was a futile thing, the Original for him was a hindrance. Women would come flocking at him once he became a king. So, he had decided he would not give up everything for one woman, meaning, he was willing to sacrifice his love for power.

Because in practicality, surrendering the power to overthrow those who trampled him for love, would be utterly idiotic.

He had an agreement with the Queen of Menotalis, Queen Eriela.

If Crown Prince Caius was able to get rid of the first Princess himself. Queen Eriela promised him that she, with her husband King Mertl, would make a blood oath with him to support him, until he successfully governed the kingdom of Vortrion.

While the crown prince was planning to murder the first Princess, the Original was falling for him without restriction.

After losing both of her parents, the crown prince's appearance and company gave her another hope of living, which in reality was another false purpose. She was so drawn to Prince Caius' determination to have his rightful place in Vortrion that she began to envision herself as a queen next right to the crown prince, her future king.

Her fleeting time interacting with Crown Prince Caius, made her recall all of her past ambitions. She concluded that it was silly for a woman to become a ruler. Prince Caius convinced her that it was the man's job to lead people and that women had only one chore, to serve their husbands.