Battle For The Crown

Chapter 1: The Second Princess

It was the debut of the social butterfly, Princess Anthanasia De Alger Obelia.

She held tea parties with all the young noble ladies, and was known to be smart, and while watching from the sidelines, you’d know she’s as cunning as a fox.

She had the perfect etiquette, knew several languages and was drop-dead gorgeous.

Everyone knew the empire would be in safe hands when she was to be handed the crown, after the emperor’s reign.

All nobles would swarm around her like bees, trying to take advantage of her, but that was impossible.

Why were the nobles pestering her? Because they were sure the crown would be handed over to her.

Her perfection wasn’t the only reason why she was sure to rule Obelia. It was because she was the only Princess and royal. Well, until the day of her long awaited, debut.

All the dances had ended, and Duke Alpheus, Ijekiel Alpheus, his son, and Jennette Margarita, the second social butterfly in Obelia.

All the girls among Anthanasia’s friends were naïve childish noble ladies, they were so gullible, and none ever had any hidden intentions, except Jennette Margarita.

She was as smart as Anthanasia, not an easy target, known to always find the advantage, she WAS raised by Duke Alpheus.

Her beauty was on par with Anthanasia’s.

But since Anthanasia was the only princess of Obelia, which gave her a higher rank, she was the most influential lady in the empire, until Duke Alpheus’ speech.

A Second Princess!

If it was any other lady they wouldn’t be worth the competition of the crown, however it was Jennette Margarita, if what the Duke said was true, from now on it would be Princess Jennette.

After the emperor left with Duke Alpheus and his small party, all the nobles started thinking of where they should stand.

Jennette and Anthanasia were equals in everything except rank, but now Jennette would be a princess.

Anthanasia could be handed the crown since she had the emperor’s love, but, what if Jennette was able to take it.

The future of the empire couldn’t be predicted on a whim! If the tables were to be turned, they could be marked as traitors if standing on the opposing side of the crown Princess.

Now the same question was in everyone’s minds. ‘Who will be Empress?!’
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The Yellow haired Princess laid on her bed swirling her hair, while thinking of her debut’s ‘interesting’ turn of events.

She knew this was to come. How? Well, this world she was in, was the world inside a novel. A novel titled the ‘lovely princess’.

As the title states, there is a lovely princess. The protagonist of the story, Jennette Margareta, afterwards designated as Princess Jennette.

For fourteen years of her life she was raised by Duke Alpheus, and no one knew she was a princess. Until the debut of the unloved Princess Anthanasia.

Princess Anthanasia was beautiful, but couldn’t be called lovely. She was an emotionless and dull girl, thus everyone concluded that was why she was loathed by the emperor.

When Princess Jennette was introduced to the society she was praised, while Princess Anthanasia was even more detested, because the emperor loved Princess Jennette with all his heart.

One day while having tea with Princess Anthanasia, Jennette falls due to poison.

The emperor concludes Princess Anthanasia is the culprit, and does the job of the executioner.

Killed at the hands of your father. Hah!

The first time Lee Jihye realized her situation she became hysterical with laughter.

Queen Lee Jihye of the wolf clan. The greatest warrior queen to ever live.

She was someone who had a big presence.

The people worshipped and praised her like a goddess for winning numerous wars and always attending to the people.

She won the biggest war, which was against the lion clan. She was outnumbered fifty to one, but she took them down single handedly.

There were frequent attempts on her life from other clans, but all failed. Be it poison, or direct assassination. 

You may wonder, how did someone like this die? Of old age? No. She died being thirty-nine years old.

She died by poison. A poison in which she had never heard of. Not poisoned by the enemy clan, but instead, by her husband and beloved sister.

It was her end. Her bed, would be her coffin. She knew her soul wouldn’t rest.

And it didn’t. She was reborn.
It sounds absurd for a warrior queen to read such a book, but as it was mentioned, Lee Jihye always attended to the people.

Be it the elderly or the youth.

It was a weekly habit of going to orphanages to play or read for children.

That was how she came across the ‘lovely princess’. Since it was the favorite book, of her much loved kid there.

She knew the fate of Princess Anthanasia, she wouldn’t sit back and wait for her doom. Instead, she charmed the emperor.

She wasn’t the unloved princess, instead, she was the overprotected Princess.

The emperor was wrapped around her finger, so she wasn’t afraid of the upcoming events, but she didn’t let her guard down, and was prepared for the worst case scenario.

That is, the emperor abandoning her, for her ‘sister’. Or possibly being murdered.

Anthanasia knew of Jennette’s real origin, which was a major advantage for her.

She wasn’t going to allow someone take away her father’s love, someone who wasn’t even his real child, not only because of the rivalry and survival, but because she had become accustomed to her father.

'At first, I smiled and pleased him all for the sake of her survival but, when did I come to think of him as my real father.'

Creak.

Anthanasia instinctively turned to the sound of her bedroom door being opened. The moonlight shone to the door, only making out the persons slim silhouette.

Lilian York. The head maid, and another one of the few people who Anthanasia cared about. While being a baby, she could never forget this woman’s kind ways.

“Princess, I’ve readied your coat” Lilian York said with a slight bow.

It was almost midnight, the clouds were in a moment of drizzling, but Anthanasia wanted to give the emperor a visit.

“I’ll be right there” Anthanasia said putting her hair into a ponytail.