Not Giving Into Fate

2. Morning Plans

She may have not killed me directly, but my life turned bad because of her existence. I can't repeat that life. I want to live.

I take a sip of my coffee. I have to prepare for everything. I recall what she did. She turned the servants and the ladies in court in her favor, her personality easily able to make friends with everyone. I don't have the same personality. I frown.

I'm going to have to fix that. I scoff. How did she gain social power? She wasn't good at magic, she wasn't educated- she could only read a menu. Why on hell did everyone like her more than me?

I pause and recall my fiancé- the infamous tyrant Prince. I bite my thumb, remembering that stupid face that would taunt me as he humiliated me in public- making me look like the monster. He was insane and he shouldn't have been on the throne. He killed his youngest siblings and banished the middle child to the Northern Badlands.

Ivan started to over throw the surrounding kingdoms which was a move many people didn't agree with, especially his cousin Duke Driscol who tried to overthrow Ivan by using the banished Prince.

I frown. His cousin failed because he didn't have enough political power. Duke Driscol hid in the North and people created strange rumors about him and the banished Prince. But, maybe I can make him an ally. I shake my head. No one has seen him and he doesn't meet with strangers. Besides, there's rumors of his madness which may be a familial trait. I'll have to avoid that family.

I sip my coffee. I just want to discard the cruel Prince. Normally, I would ask to stop the engagement, but it wouldn't work. I recall the dungeon where he confessed that he only wanted to marry me for my brother.

Elric is the Captain of the Temple Knights, allied with the Temple. His knights are famously known throughout the continent, but not as good as Duke Driscol's. Prince Ivan didn't want his pathetic Imperial knights- a group who are known to lamely take anyone in. Ivan wanted prestige, but he couldn't control his cousin's army.

So, he sought a union with my brother through me. He told me that he sent Duke Stiling to the Stalken Islands where rumored gems of the gods exist. These jewels will bind anyone to the one who holds the royal blood. He confessed that with these jewels he could control my brother, his cousin and Duke Stiling.

I needed to break the marriage before that can happen. I can't have my brother bound to that mad man. I may not love him like a regular brother, but I would protect him. I would protect my family... maybe except for one person.

I look into the brown drink and think of the thing that really gritted my teeth. She somehow managed to get my father to smile. My family doesn't express emotions. My father has the same emotions as a rock, my brother and I are the same. I know it, but it doesn't bother me.

Elric and I are close in age and my father raised us with an equal education, not caring about our difference in sex. However, this lead to the both of us competing for his attention and praise. While Elric pursued the road of knighthood, becoming Captain at the young age of 16 for our army; I pursued the road of magic. I studied at the Magic Tower, being one of the strongest mages- the Master of Ancient Magic. 

Elric and I were young when we wanted our fathers attention, something he would rarely give and only to one person. We were pitted against each other since we were kids, and when we no longer cared about fighting with each other, it was too late. We didn't know how to talk to each other. All we knew was competition, lying and self preservation.

However, Elric has always stood on my side, begrudgingly at that. He treated Catherina like a sister, meaning he didn't give her that much attention. I remember when I died, he ran to try and save me. At least he was expressed a familial bond in the end.