Chapter 2

He was wearing his silver armor suit that looks heavy. His armor reflects the rays from the light peering through the windows and I could see clearly the sword on his waist with the emblem of their squad despite the darkness. He was holding onto his helmet on his left side.

Just like me, he was just standing above the stairs, looking below me with his sharp razor eyes. It was cold as an ice piercing through my soul.

Brother Millian was always cold to everyone even to me, his sister, but Dad and my brothers were exception to his attitude. But now, he was colder to me when the news of my engagement with the Crowned Prince was cancelled.

Everyone in the house were disappointed in the outcome of my engagement, no one was an exception. Even I, myself was the most disappointed. All my efforts were all in vain. The knowledge I acquired, the spanking I got from my Teachers, the time I spent learning and the cold treatments I got from everyone were all for nothing.

I clenched when my chest tightened.

His eyes were scrutinizing, mocking me for being useless to this household. He did not have to say it because just the way he look at me, I already could tell.

He started to continue descending on the stair.

“B-brother Millian… W-where are you going? It is already night time-“ I asked when he was already in front of me but I was immediately cut short.

I asked even I know where he would be going. He must be annoyed.

“None of your business.” He coldly said at walked past me.

I could not do anything but to follow him with my eyes until he vanished behind the door.

He was going on an expedition and as the Captain of Black Shadow Royal Knight Squad, he needs to lead the army.

Before I could even lost his presence behind the shut doors, I clasped my hands infront of my chest, closed my eyes and prayed for his safety.

I was on my way to the castle. My vacation was not yet over but His Majesty, the Emperor and Her Majesty, the Empress granted me an audience to have a tea party on Asiantic Garden.

The Head Maid greeted me in the hallway with her maids following her.

“Greetings Lady Maxineirah. His Majesty and Her Majesty was waiting in the garden, I will escort you there.” She greeted and curtsy together with her maids.

While on our way on the garden, the Vice Captain of the Palace guards, my Brother Lein and I crossed our paths. He was with the fourth Prince. We stopped and greeted them but Brother Lein only glanced at me once without stopping on his tracks and passing us by with large strides. The fourth Prince whose with my brother was the only one who stopped to greet us.

Irritation was visible on the face of the Prince because of my brother. And he even scratched his head like he was going crazy, he glanced at me and nodded a little before following the Vice Captain with larger strides to cope up with Lein.

I sighed. Brother Lein…

I felt a fang of pain and sadness in my chest but I immediately ignored it and maintained my normal posture before continuing to the garden.

“Thank you for the audience Your Majesties. As a gratitude, Can I give you a gift? It is not worthy compare to what you have but I hope, it will suits your tastes.” I said politely and gestured the maid who have the gift to come near on the table.

“You are so thoughtful and considerate Lady Maxineirah. Of course we will accept whatever you gift us.” The Empress said happily.

“In this case, we might even accept poison if it is from you.” The Emperor said and laughed hardly. I felt a chill. I did not know where it came from but I suddenly felt cold from head to toe. I almost tremble but I stopped my self.

“My Emperor, do not say such things! Look, Lady Maxineirah is turning pale.”

“Pardon me, Lady. I was just joking.” The Emperor said and smiled awkwardly.

The Empress opened the lid where Velvet Mint Tea lies within.

Why… Why did I feel cold and trembling?

I felt like air around me was being stolen and breathing seemed so hard. It was not like, my present has a poison…

I secretly let the air stocked in my throat out.

“My word! It is worthy, Lady Maxineirah! We really like this. Is this tea from Leiston Kingdom?” Her Majesty asked with a joyous tone.

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

After the small tea party, I went back to our estate right away but a bad news greeted us.

“W-what happened to brother?” I asked the messenger. I ignored my brother Amo, Maxwell and Dad that were present in the same room who already heard the news clearly. They look devastated on the news we heard once but I could not believe it. My ears were tricking me!

“He fell on the cliff while chasing the escaped-“

“Milady!” the maids immediately came to my aid and supported my weigh when I was about to fall because of my weakening knees as I heard the terrible news.

No. No. No. That was not true! I heard it wrong!

I should have stopped him that night even if he get annoyed! It was my fault. I was the last one who saw him before he left that night.

If… If… If… If I… If I j-just…

I felt a hand rested on the top of my head and when I looked up, I saw the Duke. It was father with a stone cold face but I knew better, behind those facades, I could feel his sadness and grief.

“Dad, B-brother-“ my words were cut when he shook his head to imply that it was over.

“No…” I refused to accept the fact.

“I will find him.” My second brother said grimly and walked with fast pace, dragging the Knights under him.

All I could do was to stare his back while he was walking away from us.

That day, I made a mistake again for not stopping him…

I was sitting in the long table inside a big hall hall, together with the members of Aristocratic Faction. I did not know why they invited me in this meeting because our family belong to the Emperialists Faction and I am not even the head of our family.

Maybe they invited Dad but Dad refused that was why they invited me? But they must invite my older brothers first…why am I here?

But the thing I really wondering was why were the Princes here? The second, third and fourth prince belong to the Imperialists Faction. Were they not afraid being found out by the Emperor?

We -they talked about the South granary and a big discussion happened, the group split into two different plans, resulting to argument. I was just watching them on the side but my silence was broken when the head of the faction asked for my suggestion.

I suggested something that I did not expect them to approve that easily.

The meeting ended but it was not the last meeting I attended, I attended all the meetings until the Emperor approved of the idea he did not knew it was from me.

The South granary started working under the command of His Majesty.

After my short vacation ended, I immediately went back to the Palace but a horrible news arrived after nights.

“The Young Master was ambushed!” that was the horrible news I heard.

It became an uproar to the Ducal house of Zachrono.

I immediately went back to our Estate that night to confirm the news.

The only thing that came back was his cold corpse bathed in blood. I should have stopped him. Again, I failed. I failed as a sister. I failed as a daughter of House Zachrono.

I knew that there was a chance Brother Amo would end up the same fate with Brother Millian but I did not even bothered stopping him. I should have stopped him.

I did not shed any tears when we buried my brother nor when the burial was over. My face remained stoic like what happened was just a normal thing for someone like me but deep inside, the pain was unbearable. My heart was reaping apart, it was tormenting and bleeding a lot.

I can not breath!

“Did you see her on his brother’s burial? She did shed no tears.”

“What a cold-hearted sister she is.”

“Her father and brothers must gravely disappointed that their mother and wife died giving birth to her.”

“She should not have lived. What a pity vessel.”

“She has no shame.”

“And now, she still have a time to flirt with the Prince.”

“Are you okay, My lady?” Prince Aspall whose with me asked worriedly after hearing the whispers around us. We were currently on an inauguration for the new Baron in the North and the second Prince was my escort.

The whispers about me were too loud to be called whisper. It was like, they were talking in that way, meant for me to be heard but despite all that I remained the same, not minding the stares and whispers surrounding us.

“I apologize, I am fine. You do not have to worry, Your Highness.”

We were already dancing when a person barged in in the hall with beads of sweat in his face, trembling and catching up his breath.

Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and the whole hall fell into silence, glancing at the new man.

“The Emperor and Empress was poisoned!” that news made an uproar.

The thumping on my chest were fast non-stop. I felt the nervous surged in in my nerves.

The banquet was stopped and everyone in the hall were dismissed.

The Emperor and Empress were both poisoned without eating nor drinking anything from the banquet before they left.