Overdoing it

The Crown Princess had the duty of running the princes wing of the palace. Ensuring it was running well had all it needed. The correct seasonal decorations were put up and other things. It was a practice trial for when the Princess became Empress and ran multiple courts in the palace and arranged different things.

On the way back to her room after she was done with her duties she caught sight of the prince and Crown Princess Celeste standing together in the palace gardens. He had his hand on her face and gently caressed her.

He was always so gentle and sweet with her. Tanya noted. He'd never smiled like that at her. This made Tanya feel inferior as she remembered things Malek had said to her.

"She is so delicate and soft, a woman worth protecting, she makes me feel like a man, unlike you." He had once told Tanya.

How can I make you love me like that? She asked herself as she watched them.

Malek caught sight of Tanya staring and immediately frowned. He placed a protective arm around Celeste's shoulder and they turned to use another hallway. She wanted to be touched and protected like that by him she thought to herself as she watched him walk away.

The rest of the week continued like this. Tanya would dress up extremely well and hoped to occasionally bump into the prince whenever he was moving around the palace to do her duties.

Every time she saw him, he was always with Celeste. She heard Malek was escorting her to her Crown Princess lessons and even helping her get used to the life of nobility.

It was four days later when she saw Lady Celeste walking alone. She bumped into her as she was making her way to her quarters. The crown prince's women stayed in the same wing as him. heir quarters were near each other, but Celeste had been staying in the prince's quarters for the most part. Tanya could only imagine what they would do in his room. It hurt her to imagine it. Especially since she had never been allowed in his room.

The two women stopped when they bumped into each other.

"Y-your Highness," Tanya greeted her with difficulty and bowed.

Celeste had a playful smile on her lips. "Just last week I had to bow down to you and call you, 'your Highness.' How things can change so quickly," she said with a laugh.

Tanya simply glared at her. Celestes gaze then averted to Tanya's outfit.

"I see you're still not giving up," she said as she snorted whilst commenting on Tanya's overdressing. "I wish I had this much confidence, it's like you're almost delusional."

Tanya bit her lip fighting not punch Celeste right there and then. What did she mean by delusional.

"I know what you're thinking but you can't touch me, I can have you punished now after all," she said pointing out that as a princess she had the authority to punish her. "But I wouldn't have to because he would take care of you himself, wouldn't he? "

Tanya flinched when she mentioned that. Celeste was referring to the many times Malek had punished Tanya for 'bullying' her. If they had a disagreement regardless of whether Celeste or Tanya started it Malek would biasedly take Celestes' side every time.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, I have to rush somewhere," Tanya said and left Celeste not wanting to cause any problems.

Tanya and Celestes' relationship was evidently awkward. They had feelings for the same man after all so they didn't like each other. Celeste had taken away the two things Tanya had always wanted. The man she liked and now her title. When she came to the palace Celeste always liked to flaunt in Tanya's face that Malek liked her.

After the week had ended a servant came to her whilst she was in her quarters late in the afternoon and she was already done with her duties.

"The crown prince is calling for you to go to his quarters, my lady," the servant told her.

Tanya's head sprung up in surprise. She wondered why he was calling for her.

You only come to me when I call for you. The words rang in her mind. She accepted the request and told the servant she would arrive at the prince's quarters shortly.

She had the servants dress prepare her for this meeting. She couldn't miss any opportunity, so she dressed up like she usually did. She then left her quarters to make her way to his. 

Upon entering his lounge Tanya found the Crown Prince seated in the seating area with non-other than Celeste. They were passionately kissing each other. Tanya felt jealous and awkward, unsure of what she should do.

"I greet you royal highness the crown prince," she said as she bowed before him in the seating area.

"You called for me, Your Highness?" Tanya said after a while.

They broke away from the kiss. However, they still held tightly onto each other. Malek's arm was wrapped around her waist.

Malek already looked irritated as his gaze shifted to Tanya. She met his cold looking beautiful golden eyes. A coldness that was reserved just for her. Despite that she still couldn't help but be enamoured by his beauty. Long chestnut brown hair, tan skin, chiselled jawline. He had broad shoulders and was tall. His pink full lips were unfortunately tainted by Celeste's lip paint.

Tanya bit her lip again as she looked at Celeste who held the prince as she rested on him, a taunting smile on her face. As if she was saying 'he is mine'.

Malek eyed her outfit up and down. Then rolled his eyes. Does she not realize how crazy she looks overdressing this? He thought to himself.

"Tanya the Crown prince of the Asyire Empire is coming to visit the palace in the coming week. I have to entertain him whilst he's here, I've decided that you will be my chosen partner to entertain him," he told her getting straight to the point.

Tanya was confused by this request. Why he was requesting she be the one to entertain him when she wasn't crown princess anymore. Certainly, she was still his woman but for a simple lover to greet someone as important as Asyrian Empire's Crown Prince? It didn't make any sense.