CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 178: Won’t Hurt

The room was set as all the Dukes sat on their respective chairs.

Aiden sat there looking at the chair beside the third Prince where Princess Cassandra sat. She looked straight at everyone with a smile.

Duke Crawford was confused. "Why is she ..."

Before he could complete the sentence Lord Bentham said. "It was also in the Vivere Kingdom with us."

Duke Crawford nodded but he did not give the fifth Princess any notice. "So should we start?" He asked as he looked at Prince Cedric.

[Keep me out of it.] Princess Cassandra’s voice rotated in Duke Salvador, Lord Bentham, and Prince Cedric’s ears as they nodded. They had long decided that not everything should be shared. Only the important things needed to be acknowledged.

"The Vivere Kingdom is destroyed. No one lives there." Prince Cedric said in a soft tone as he looked at all the Duke. "The land will be under us."

The Dukes looked at each other as they looked at Duke Salvador as if asking if it was true. The Kingdom they could not win against was so easily defeated? They could not believe it at all.

"The Prince is telling the truth." Duke Salvador said as he continued. "It was a fierce battle and we even lost the first Princess and the secretary in it."

Duke Bentham asked as he raised. "Is our Empire safe?"

"Yes, father." Lord Bentham said with a smile. "It is all safe."

But the third Prince does not have the power of all the four elements." Duke Garfield said as he moved forward as he continued. "The prophecy states that the true heir will shine bringing the two continents together."

Princess Cassandra smiled as she looked at the Dukes sitting there. "But maybe we have always misinterpreted the prophecy. Maybe it means that when the Empire becomes one then the one standing will be the heir, and Prince Cedric is the one standing. Isn’t he shining to be the brightest star of the Empire?"

The Dukes looked at the fifth Princess. They had never seen her talk so much. Did going to the Vivere Kingdom made her open-spirited?

"Your fiance has a point." Duke Crawford said with a smile.

"No"

"NO"

Two voices said in unison. All of them looked at the two people who objected too suddenly.

It was Duke Salvador and Lord Bentham who said together again.

"We broke our engagement."

"She is not his fiance."

The Dukes were confused and Princess Cassandra could feel and hear their confusion so she took a stand for herself.

"When we were in the Vivere Kingdom, I got to interact with Lord Bentham more. It was then that we both realized that we do not love each other. It is not even at the stage of like. So we decided to call it off. To break the engagement." Princess Cassandra said as she looked at Lord Bentham.

"That is true." Achard Bentham continued. "I know I asked for this marriage but once I understood what type of person Princess Casandra is, I realized that what we share is not love but a bond. A sibling bond."

"Do you have any idea what you are talking about?" Duke Crawford said in an irritated tone. "It is a political marriage. Who gave you the permission to break up?"

The temperature of the room was burning. Duke Salvador’s eyes were burning with rage and Prince Cedric could feel it.

"I gave them permission." The third Prince interjected. "I think I have a right to talk on this matter now that my father is no more."

Duke Crawford looked at Duke Bentham as he questioned him. "You don’t have any opinion on this?"

Duke Bentham shook his head. "Getting married was his decision. Now that they have understood that they do not belong together they are breaking things off. I did not involve myself at the start so I will not be involving myself now. My eldest son is a grown-up man. He knows what he is doing and I trust him."

Duke Crawford had no words to say. He looked at the situation but once he knew that no one was ready to understand he shut his mouth as he waited for this topic to be over.

Duke Garfield knew what Duke Crawford wanted so they said. "Okay but the problem continues. Even if we have misinterpreted the prophecy, the Empire had always followed a rule. The person who can control all the four elements will rule the Empire."

Duke Crawford nodded his head. "Yes, if the third Princess does not know how to do it yet then we have to find someone. Till we find that person we have to elect a trustworthy person."

"But who said the third Prince cannot use all the four-elements?" A soft tone spoke, making everyone look at her. "He is a mage that can use all the four elements."

Prince Cedric’s eyes widened as he thought. [But I cannot]

Princess Cassandra smiled as she turned towards the third Prince looking straight into his gaze. [I will help the Prince. Just think the words and the elements will come to life, ensuring that the Emperor’s position falls in your hand. But I want something in return.]

[You should take the position?] Prince Cedric thought. Although he was used to talking through thoughts now it was still uncomfortable at times.

[No, just give me what I want and you can have the throne. Won’t it be easy for you to achieve your goal to make some real changes if you sit on the throne?] Princess Cassandra said.

[What does the Princess want?]

Princess Cassandra smiled. There was only one thing she wanted. [No one should know that I possess power. I should always be the unfavored Princess. I hate unwanted attention and I do not want to fight anymore. Who knows what they will make me do if they knew. And I do not want to be the Emperor.]

Princess Cassandra continued. [And I want the palace that I lived in. The palace and the forest. It is at the outskirts anyway so it does not make any difference if you space a building because you will be getting a whole kingdom under you. You will get Vivere kingdom under the Empire.]

[Isn’t it an unfair deal at your end?] Prince Cedric asked.

[No it isn’t.] Princess Cassandra said. [I feel more at ease in this way.]

Prince Cedric nodded as he agreed to her condition. There has come this far, it won’t hurt to push some more.