CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 48: Sacrifice Happiness?

The room was in darkness as the room was silent.

The Empress did not know why things were not going on according to her plan.

As per the Empress’s informants, the fifth princess shouldn’t have anyone that she loved.

’She had never interacted with an opposite gender before so where did the lover come from?’

’Why did Lord Bentham suddenly propose marriage?’

’It would have been understandable if it was only Lord Bentham, but his father also came in making his stand clear.’

’They want Princess Cassandra to marry into Bentham Dukedom.’

Thinking more about it the Empress was beyond angry. All of her planning was still. She wanted the princess to get married to one of the families that were loyal to her.

The Empress knew that the fifth Princess was more beautiful than her own daughter, Princess Valeria. Although the Empress hated to admit it was the truth. The light blonde hair that the fifth Princess possessed, her pinkish white skin made her look like a goddess at times.

If the fifth Princess was someone else, the Empress would have killed Cassandra a long time ago but thankfully the fifth Princess was powerless, making her beauty not a threat but an advantage for her.

The Empress wanted to take advantage of her beauty and marry her off so that she could get people’s loyalty to her side. After all, the Empress wanted her own son to be the next Emperor, even if he didn’t have the ability.

A mother’s greed was a dangerous thing but the greed for power was deadly, and the Empress was gulping for power.

Even though the Empress wanted to send the fifth Princess to get married, she never wanted her to get married into an influential family. The Empress knew that in high society, where power was given more importance, men usually carved for beauty more. And Cassandra was a deadly weapon in situations like these.

It was a good thing that the fifth princess was a little coward. She herself did not understand what sort of power she beheld in her hands but the Empress knew and wanted to eat the fifth Princess whole.

But now the Empress was feeling betrayed. A layer of confusion blinded her gaze. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

’The war always takes place when the ladies are most greedy.’

’What if Princess Cassandra told the Bentham’s to rebel against the throne?’

’The fifth Princess would never have a single affection towards the royal family after how she was treated here.’

Although it was a possibility, the Empress could not deny the fact that Cassandra herself was a timid person. A girl who was frightened to speak, a girl who desired nothing more, and a girl who was always afraid of people’s reactions.

The Empress knew that the fifth princess was a little more frightened of her and to be honest she knew that all the other princesses were too, but the Empress had always observed that the fifth Princess was a little peculiar, always saying only what was needed, always behaving in a way that was most appropriate for the situation.

At first, the Empress thought that it was a natural reaction that came from the fifth Princess’s will to survive. Something that everyone does is to adapt but now after what happened in the royal hall, the Empress thought otherwise.

’What if Princess Cassandra was never a timid person?’

’What if the fifth Princess had some alternative motive?’

’But if the way the fifth Princess was portraying herself was just an act she had always kept up over the years.’

It was a possibility and the Empress wanted to dig deeper into it, but soon she shook the theory off. The Empress knew that there was very little conversation going on between Lord Bentham and Cassandra, proving that it was not Cassandra’s plan to get married.

’Maybe Lord Bentham fell for Princess Cassandra’s beauty and propose the marriage?’I

’I have to make sure to get the Bentham’s at my side.’

The Empress’s hand on the glass tightened that she was holding but soon she realized the main problem in her thoughts. The Bentham’s were never loyal to the royal family. They were on neutral grounds. They only cared about people and not the royalty.

The Empress’s blood was boiling. All her eyes could see was red. Her rage could not be constrained.

’What else could I do to get the people on my side.’

’I want my son to be the Emperor.’’

’None of the other Princesses are as beautiful as Cassandra.’

’All the other powerful men want to marry Valeria now and my poor daughter is hooked on Duke Salvador who doesn’t like her.’

’Uhhh ...’

The Empress wanted to kill someone as the wind around her started to blow. She was a strong wind mage. Her emotions affected her powers as the Empress failed to control them.

The flower pot around the room was flying up in a whirlpool as the Empress crashed the glass on the wall. A bang was heard as the glass scattered around in pieces but did not lay on the ground.

Due to the heavy wind pressure in the room, all the glass particles started to fly up making the wind spiral more deadly.

The Empress was breathing harshly as she sat on the chair.

’I want to kill her.’

The Empress was about to take a step out of the violent winds behind her when she heard a voice calling her. The door of the room was opened and as the Empress saw who was standing there, the winds cooled down and all the things came crashing down on the ground.

"Mother .." Princess Valeria entered in hope of meeting her mother when all she could hear was,

"Boom ...."

"Thud ...."

Princess Valeria’s sight moved from the floor filled with glasses towards her mother, the Empress who was gazing at her.

"What happened?" Princess Valeria entered as if nothing had happened. She walked towards the table by putting her legs on the glass without care. The sound of her footwear grinding on the glass did not affect her as Princess Valeria smiled.

"Won’t you offer me tea?" Princess Valeria sat on the chair as she waited for the Empress to say something.

"You are not here to drink tea though. What is the use of asking me for tea now." The Empress sighed as she sat down.

"True. I wanted to talk with Mother."

The Empress looked at Valeria, waiting for her to continue.

"Now that one of the Princesses is getting married into the Ducal family, don’t you think you should get the other Princess to marry in one too."

The Empress raised her eyebrows at Princess Valeria’s words. "So you want to marry Duke Salvador?"

"Isn’t it obvious mother?"

"It is. But you are forgetting something more important, my child."

Princess Valeria’s gaze was filled with questions. "What?"

"The man doesn’t want to marry you."

Princess Valeria’s gaze turned darker. She knew it too well Duke Salvador did not like her but she also knew that he had no one in his heart. And no one knew who the lady in red was till now. It could be a false gossip spread by the Duke himself so that no one would force him to do anything. Princess Valeria strongly believed it.

"But the Empress can make anything happen though." Princess Valeria’s lips curled up as she blinked at her mother.

The Empress sighed as she looked at her daughter. "He has the Emperor’s protection. If you have forgotten, the Emperor had already given the scroll to the Duke, permitting him to marry whoever he wants."

"But my mother can make him want to marry me. Isn’t it?"

"Valeria, you are not a child anymore. I know you like the Duke but you have to keep the options open now. Your brother needs your support."

Princess Valeria’s eyes darkened as her breathing turned shallow. "So for my brother you want me to sacrifice happiness?" Princess Valeria’s voice was low. She moved further as she looked into her mother’s gaze. Her eyes were burning flames. "Mother, you want your child to be the next Emperor right? I am also your child."

The Empress was silent as looked at her daughter. She could feel that Valeria’s behavior was not normal and her next words proved it.

"As a mother, you should support your child. I want to have the Duke and if you cannot help me then I need to take matters into my own hands. After all, Duke Salvador would never go against the Emperor’s order, and if I am the Emperor then ..."

Princess Valeria did not continue as she smiled. She got up from her chair and walked behind the Empress before touching her shoulders.

"Think carefully mother. As an Empress, you will still be the mother of the future Emperor."

Princess Valeria left the room silently leaving a wide-eyed Empress sitting in the chair.