Who Made Me a Princess

Part 1

At least, as a result, Athanasia had read the complete works of this world's classical literature. She wished for more exciting novels as a matter of fact, but it was better not to get Lily and the other maids in trouble by getting them to sneak into her library. Not to mention that her library was rather like a safe, secret haven and it felt wrong to let people in willy-nilly (it had nothing to do with her cheesy romantic novels, nope). It had been bad enough that Ijekiel and Lucas had entered last time.

Speaking of, Athanasia suddenly thought, how was Lucas doing? He's probably off terrorising people or that poor "world tree" he was speaking of. Or maybe that gold-laying goose is out there living in luxury using counterfeit currency.

Counterfeit currency...ever since Athanasia made a shower of gold coins rain down upon her like she was King Midas (and hadn't that been the best experience ever), she kept trying to do it again, to no success. Frowning in thought, she held her hand, palm down and facing the table.

"Gold coins," she commanded in a voice so steely and firm that she was surprised when the entire kingdom's gold coins failed to soar to her like moths to a flame.

Athanasia was about to try again – let it never be said that Princess Athanasia gave up – when there was a knock on the door.

"Princess, may I come in?" Came Hannah's voice from behind the set of heavy mahogany doors.

"Come in, Hannah," she called out, and then managed to give her maid a smile as she entered carrying a tray full of—

"I made desserts, Princess. I've got snacks here too."

"Hannah," Athanasia said, her eyes pinned to those delicacies with predatory anticipation, "bless you and your gifted hands."

Desserts can heal the soul – specifically, a soul tired from repeated attempts of magic.

(And maybe tired from the emotional pain you've endured from your dad completely forgetting his only daughter? Whispered a tiny voice in her head. Athanasia promptly told it to shut up.)

Hannah, blushing at the compliments, set the tray down at the table gently and brought a slice of cake closer to her. Athanasia happily set to work making it disappear from the plate (the sort of magic she had no problem performing).

"Isn't the palace unusually quiet today?" She asked Hannah while spooning her dessert.

"Ah, they needed help for the preparations at the Emperor's palace. Many of the staff have been promoted."

Athanasia hid a snort – that probably translated to "We need help desperately to make this a perfect celebration so that the Emperor won't try to kill us today, so please get over here."

"I see. Thank you, Hannah," she replied with a smile.

Lily would be back with dinner later, and her presence would do wonders to dispel the loneliness that Athanasia seemed prone to these days.

(And, yet again, she steadfastly pretended that loneliness had nothing to do with Claude. Or Lucas.)

***

That night, the dinner Athanasia had been so looking forward to was cancelled.

It happened quite suddenly. One moment Athanasia is grinning at Lily, who was exclaiming how lovely she was in this new dress (a cute one fashioned after daisies and coloured yellow and maroon), and the next a dozen soldiers slam open the door and stand at the threshold like stone pillars. Athanasia stared, her heart beginning to beat faster, her mind telling her what her heart could not yet accept.