11一 and he decided that maybe he should feign ignorance, this time

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ATHY STARED DUMBFOUNDED at the beauty of a boy that entered the room一 because holy hell she knew Claude's swimmers were miracle workers but this is something else.

'How is he so pretty...?' With that her eyes landed on the massive beast that stood waiting by the young prince's side and all previous thoughts about Claude and the boy before her flew out of the proverbial window.

'What is that?!' She felt entitled to her shock, because what were they feeding this tiger? Horses? It was too big to be normal.

It growled.

Dear god, it growled at her.

'God, I apologise for all of the bad things I've done in both of my lives, please spare me.'

She had half a mind that it would pounce at her, given the way it was eyeing her, but before it could take another step towards her, a hand was placed atop its head.

"Biyakko, no." The blonde boy chastised in a gentle tone, gloved hands playing with the (seemingly) soft fur of the beast. "Do not eat our guest."

'Did you just confirm that it eats people?!'

Claude, apparently amused by the scene of his son's pet attempting to munch on his youngest child, invited the newcomer to sit on the red velvet chair in between the couches.

"Athan, come."

With an incline of his head, the Prince complied. "By your wish."

Wide innocent jeweled blue eyes stared at the boy as he elegantly sat down, white cloak swept behind him in a fluid motion and a leg bent over the other, his beast by his right side, opposite from her一 and thank god for that. How come he was allowed to address Claude so casually?

'I really though the crown prince was a filler character...' Athanasia sneaked a glance at the boy that elegantly drank his tea, jeweled eyes closed and soft pinkish lips slightly parted.

'How...?'

(Athanasia refused to compute how perfect of a being this boy looked like.)

"Athan, introduce yourself."

Her head turned so fast in Claude's direction that snapping it might have been a possibility.

'No! Why would you do that?! I don't want to get to know this beast tamer!'

But her whining went un-voiced and unheard一

一save for the desperate glint in her eyes that Athan really could not help but take note of.

Placing down his tea cup, the Prince put a hand to his heart as he knealed before her, the other taking hold of Athy's much smaller one and bringing it to his lips, his jeweled blue eyes never leaving hers.

"My name is Athanasius De Alger Obelia, Crown Prince of the Obelia Empire. It is a pleasure meeting you, little Athanasia."

The little royal could only blush as she felt his breath on her hand, creating a layer of goosebumps just with his timber alone.

Her mind, inexperienced in the ways of the court, failed to pick up on the simple yet offensive jabs made at her person.

(He introduced himself by his full name and title, yet addressed her by the name given to her by her mother and her relation to him一 in reality he pointed out her inferiority in status compared to him and the fact that even if she held royal blood, she had yet to be claimed by the emperor and given the inherited name of the imperial family.)

A grimace coloured Felix and Kassian's faces as Claude simply gave a self-accomplished smile; he had seen such things coming from a mile away given Athan's particularities when it boiled down to the people he wanted to keep close to him.

On a more unrelated note, Claude seriously doubted his son even perceived this little girl as a threat to his ascension to the throne. It was like comparing a bunny to a tiger that was raised by a dragon一the danger was just perceived differently. That, and Athan had years to form and cultivate his bonds with the aristocratic faction; years to cement his position before the common folk and years to put forth to the other nations the image of a perfect crown prince一 well-rounded, kind and exceptionally gifted in all matters pertaining the empire.

His earlier comparison notwithstanding, Claude truly believed that Athan simply did not want to meddle with his little sister's antics.

Pity he'll never know he hit the nail right on the head with that one. Through it had yet to be seen if it was the final nail in the coffin.

Athanasia, still in a daze from the courteous and charming introduction of her older brother, stared absentmindedly at the sweets on the table, oblivious to the silent conversation going on between the other two royals in the room and the exchange of glances that was made with the two present knights.

'How... charming...' The little girl gazed into the abyss that was the golden colour in this office, her eyes misted over with thoughts. 'How in the hell is this sweet, polite and elegant boy Claude's son?!' It was outrageous, really.

Didn't Lily say that the Prince was personally raised by the Emperor? Athy just wanted to know if the boy was a fallen angel, and if not, well... It was clear something else was at play because she was questioning Claude's parental instincts.

If not, then what had her mother done to cause the Emperor to cast his own child in a cold palace, because if there were two things she was certain of, it was that her brother was clearly well-behaved and that she was a cute kid.

...

... Though, the maids in the Ruby Palace did use to say that as a child, Athanasius had been an absolute joy and gazing upon him was a rare blessing. Something about him having his mother's warm spirit and what-not.

Speaking of the former Empress, what happened to her?

"Felix. Kassian."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Leave us."

...

The two knights instantly bowed to their charges and headed towards the exit, throwing hesitant glances at one another and over their shoulders.

She instantly panicked. 'Wait, no, misters, don't leave me!'

Catching on to his father's wish for peace and privacy, the young prince patted his pet's massive head. "Biyakko, out." Just as the words were uttered, the white tiger followed after the two knights.

'... At least one of the three beasts is out.'

Just as the office door clicked shut, the Emperor leaned back and let out a soft sight. "Athy, was it? Must be a pet name." He mused to himself, sparkling blue eyes shutting close. "Athanasia."

Had she not been more observant, she wouldn't have noticed the Prince stilling his movements and looking into his teacup as if all the answers of the universe resided in the coloured liquid. But, what was that bitter look in the teenager's eyes?

"What a name. Do you know the meaning of it?"

'Ah. This is bad.' Athanasia, for all her nervousness, managed to put up an innocent front, taking note that the imperial prince had fallen silent in his unmoving state. 'My name, the name of a "king".'

But Claude, not noticing her tense shoulders (or maybe simply uncaring for her disposition), continued on, undettered by his own son's silence. "To dare give her own child such a name, and a girl at that." His eyes opened, a glaciar look in their shine. "She would have had her limbs ripped off if she had survived the labour."

A name related to immortality and eternity is given to the official children of the Obelian Empress to signify their status as candidates for the throne, but Claude, as he was not a child of the Empress, could only take the throne by killing his older brother, but he had never received an 'immortal' name. 'So there's a good chance that he fells frustrated by it. And might kill me...'

Athy didn't want the throne一as Claude already hand an heir一she just wanted to live in peace as a glutton, un-bothered by the world and die a quiet death, so she'll make it her life's goal to prove to the two royals that she was as harmless as they come.

Claude, seeing her unmoving posture, urged, "Why are you standing there? Go ahead and eat."

As she reached for the strawberry decorated dessert in front of her, she could feel her hands stilling, trembling under the pressure. The chilling look that her father threw her was borderline murderous, at least, from her point of view.

"I told them to bring something that kids would like." The glare in the emperor's eyes strengthened. "If you don't eat, I'll have to punish the cook."

"Thank you for the food!" She immediately said, not at all eager to have someone killed because of her own fear. 'He's threatening me! This jerk!' Athanasia sneaked a glance at the third occupant of the room, noting that he didn't seam to be bothered in the least by the verbal jabs at her person. 'Why aren't you saying anything?!'

Sensing her gaze on his person, Athan shot her a dazzling smile and soon, her previous frustrated thoughts flew out of the window.

The dread of talking with the Emperor didn't disappear as she swallowed the piece of dessert, it's taste oddly sour on her tongue. 'Curse me for walking into the dragon's lair just for some gold.'

"Who taught you manners?"

Pursing her lips for a brief moment, Athy answered, "Lily taught me."

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"I see. You are talking about Lillian York." The empty tone in his voice startled her.

'How... How does he know her full name...?'

"Ah." The sound coming from the prince took her attention. "That woman." The bored timber echoed in her mind and she wanted to ask, how do you know Lily?

Seeing the perplexed look on her face, Claude elaborated, "Five years ago, that lady stepped in from of me requesting she take care of you." He tilted his head. "It would seem she is still with you."

'Lilly did that... for me?' Her gratefulness for having her nurse suddenly reached new heights.

"How dare she."

Athanasia paused, her eyes wide with surprise and trepidation for his next words.

"The only two that survived doing that were your mother and that wench, but only Athan has the right of doing so." His eyes were cold, and the little royal was slowly abandoning hope of ever having them gaze at her with love.

As she gloomily ate her cake, the following question had her dropping her golden fork, "Are you aware of who I am?"

'Ah. This... isn't going well. I thought that maybe he brought me here on a whim, curious to see the child he never wanted, but this is a test to see if I'm allowed to live any longer or...'

She gulped, eyes wide as she stared at the man across him.

'...or I'll be killed right here.'

Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap一...

It stopped.

"F-Father?"

...

'Afjekpxlsvukfdikeuepd一! You idiot!'

'Wait, didn't Claude love Jeanette...?'

"Papa?" Why did it get quiet? Please respond. Say something! Anything!

"Papa!" She said it once again, now more brightly and filled with hope. 'Please don't kill me.'

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LEFT ALONE WITH HIS FATHER, Athan placed down his teacup and rose to his feet, settling down next to him and laying down his head on his parent's lap.

Feeling long fingers threading through his silvery blonde strands, he raised his gaze to the one of his dad's. "You'll visit her?"

An eyebrow raised to his son's question and a soft smile played on his lips. "Jealous?"

"More like murderous." His grumbles went unheard.

The warm chuckle that left Claude's throat helped alleviate the former Korean's worries and settle his turbulent thoughts.

"How long?"

Claude paused his petting of his son's hair and glared at the scenery outside the window, a feeling of abysmal hopelessness settling within his heart.

"Ten days."

And the worse part of it all? He couldn't change a damn thing for his son.

✂------------------------------------------

hi y'all, i'm alive.

this chapter is so much longer than the others (around 2k words) and i'm tired.

do you guys like the new cover?

pray for my sleep.
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