The Inured Villainess

Chapter 1

It seemed even with the façade of her being evil, there remained a small child deluded by her parents.

Estella loves the King which her family wishes to get rid of, however she is unaware of the fact. And her treatment in the Claudonia household, her previous home, is not a good one. The family uses her as a pawn and belittles her when she doesn't complete their plans.

I truly pity her, well I guess myself now. She endured so much when she was just trying to earn someone's approval. It's heartbreaking.

In addition to being at peace, I haven't seen His Majesty since that night, he has been avoiding any contact with me. Once a month the king and queen must sleep together in the Sun Palace. I have shown up to his chambers two more times but he was never there.

Because of his absence the servants seem to think I'm not in his favor and deliberately try to ruin things around me. While some still remain timid around me, there are those who don't show their fear. Yesterday, one of my dresses had a small stain on the sleeve.

And today...

I stare down at my tea as I am sitting in the Moon Palace's courtyard. The lovely summer trees proved good shade from the warm sun. While the atmosphere is nice, the company isn't. I believe the head maid of the palace noticed that I wasn't like the rumors and seemed to order around others do not so nice things.

"Cecilia. Come here." I order, staring at one of the influenced maids.

"Yes, Your Majesty, what may I help you with?" She tries not to let a smirk appear on her face.

I push my iced tea glass towards her on the table.

"I want you to drink this." I tell her, my eyes never waver.

"What? I can't, Your Majesty, it is your tea." She deflects my proposal.

"And if it is poisoned? Would you deal with my dead body?" Though I'm just testing her, these maids don't have any respect even to a queen.

"Of course not, Your Majesty! No one would dare poison you." She tries to win my favor once more.

"Then there should not be a problem. Drink." I command her again. She hesitates before taking the glass in her hands.

She suddenly drops the drink on the ground, it shatters, spilling its contents on the lush green grass.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. The glass slipped. Please, forgive me." She begs with no remorse in her eyes.

The tea spilled onto the bottom of my dress, soaking the lace.

"Serves her right. She doesn't even have the power to get rid of me, not when she doesn't have the favor of the king. She's an abandoned queen." I hear her evil thoughts rustling in her mind.

The gift I received is the ability to hear others' evil intent. It must be the reason why Estella went insane. She was forced to listen to all these terrible thoughts that haunted her. She realized that the only person's thoughts she can't hear is His Majesty's.

Estella thought he was special and that is why she fell for him. Not realizing that her family wants to kill the king, the person she loves.