Her Jeweled eyes

{Chapter One ~ Her Shadow}

Lillian opened her mouth to tell her off, when Attheia suddenly spoke up.

"Ellie" she pulled at the older girl's dress. "Can we go outside? Attie bored."

Elaine looked down at her, and immediately her anger melted away. "Of course Theia, let's go." Taking the little princess's hand, she glanced over at her mother, looking like she wanted to say something else, before deciding against it and walking out of the room, the raven haired toddler following behind her.

Though, her unspoken words and emotions still hung in the air, the annoyance clinging to the curtains and filtering through the rug. Oh Elaine, I'm not pleased by this either.

Sighing, the blue eyed maid fell onto the couch behind her with a thump. "Athanasia" she looked up at the gold decorated ceiling, tears pooling into her eyes. "Why did you have to leave us, like Diana? Was it fate? Am I now fated to watch your daughter die as well?" Lillian's hands tightened into fists at that thought. "No. I promise you, princess. I will not let your daughter die. Not until long after I am gone. This time, I will not outlive the next Empress."

Attheia giggled as she ran through one of the many rose gardens that surrounded the Emerald Palace. Even if she was a forgotten princess, whose father never visited her in all of her three years of existence (plus more), she was still well cared for. Though none of these extravagant gifts were hers, sometimes she liked to imagine they were.

But of course, in reality they were gifts that her mother had received from the two emperors.

It must be nice to be loved.

As Attheia walked through the maze, she hummed. She knew this place like the back of her hand, and was quickly able to loose Elaine as she wandered off, her goal being to reach the middle. Despite her short legs, it wasn't too long until she reached the large, circular clearing.

The clearing was beautiful, surrounded by the tall rose bushes, with a giant marble water fountain in the middle. And on top of the water fountain was a statue of her mother.

Athanasia de Alger Obelia. Late Empress of the Obelian Empire.

Attheia sighed as she looked up at the statue, leaning against the marble pool of water that sat below it. The statue had long, beautiful hair that cascaded in waves. The figure was slim, but elegant, with jeweled eyes that stared off into the distance with a sweetness that only a person with a golden heart could match.

Her mother.

Attheia took a deep breath and stared at her own reflection. Long, cascading raven black hair with beautiful jeweled eyes. Many said she looked just like her mother, and that would show even more as she grew older.

Though her gaze could never match the sweetness her mother's held.

To think I was reborn just three years ago the young princess looked up at the sky, the wind blowing softly as she let the memories wash over her...

"Father, the rebels are coming! They have reached the gates!" 18 year old Attheia ran into the emperor's study, tears in her beautiful jeweled eyes as she confronted the man who had helped create her. The man who she rarely spoke to for the past 18 years of her life.

Emperor Lucas de Alger Obelia.

"Ah, who cares? Let them come" he said with a wave of his hand. Glass bottles littered his desk, the foul contents drained or spilling onto the rug below. Attheia frowned in distaste, her nose wrinkling at the stench.