Inside Lombardi's mansion, a member of the Imperial family, can't be accompanied by armed Imperial Knights.
It is clear what this long pledge means. The two families are not just in charge of their own personal but they're also mutually inviolable. An alliance must be maintained for the survival of the Empire.
"Tia! Mayron, hold Gilly's hand!" Azalea quickly grabbed Gillou and Florentia's hand while Mayron grabbed Gillou's hand.
The first prince, who is only 10 years old, broke the pledge!
"Run!" Azalea said running and pulling them with her. "L-Lea! What's going on?!" Florentia said in surprise.
"I don't have time to explain! Just run all the way to Grandfather's office!" Azalea said loudly and continued to running. The knight followed them from behind.
Azalea gritted her teeth in anger. "They're adults and we're just kids! We can't outrun them. If I can use my power-!" Azalea thought.
"I can't let him see Tia and the twins! They must be here to catch me!" Azalea thought while glancing towards Florentia and twins. They were confused and surprised.
"No... I can't let him land a finger on them! I really should kill him earlier! You crazy bastard!" Azalea clicked her tongue and opened the door where it's finally strict place from their grandfather.
Azalea stopped when Astana stand in front of her in arrogant as the maids bowed from behind. "Wow, we're seeing each other again." Astana happily said. "He's really a lunatic, isn't he...?" Azalea thought.
"Even the Emperor has to watch his behavior when he's in Lombardi mansion. And yet, this little prince who isn't a crown Prince is doing something like this." Azalea thought as she pulled them closer to her.
"... Lea, who is he?" Florentia whispered to her. She also have the same thought as Azalea. "... That hair and eyes color is rare... That's-!" Florentia finally catch who is him.
"You, the sapphire eyes. I should punish you for disobey me but be grateful that I forgive you and let you live." Astana said. Azalea just stare at him in silence. "Forgive? He's not someone who easily forgive someone. There's must something he want from me." Azalea thought.
"Then, grab her. Don't injure her or scratch her. Especially her beautiful eyes. I want her." Astana said as everyone widened their eyes. "Me?!" Azalea thought in surprise.
"No!" Florentia quickly said and hug Azalea closer. "Who are you?!" Mayron also hug Azalea and Florentia. "Why should Lea follow you?!" Gillou said in anger also hug them.
Astana sighed and commanded something. "Those three, get rid of them." Astana said as the knights was surprised by it. Azalea widened her eyes and get away from them. She stand in front of them to protect them.
"Don't touch these kids! Why would you want me?!" Azalea asked him. "Why? It's because your eyes. I've never seen it and it's make me excited to see it for the first time. I want..." Astana hold his hands out and hold it in front of Azalea's face.
"To have it." Astana gripped his hands make Azalea was surprised by him. "... Again?!" Azalea thought as the memories from the past appeared in her mind.
The first time when Azalea and Astana see each other. Azalea who was 17 years old while Astana 21 years old meet at Lombardi's mansion when Azalea was taking care of her grandfather.
Astana was awestruck by her eyes and become obsessed with it. Everyday he would come to the Lombardi and want to make Azalea as his. Azalea would rejected him over and over but he didn't stop it and become more possessive to have her.
Astana would threaten Azalea by using Florentia to make her as his. He would promise that he will kill her sister if Azalea didn't want to become his.
"Azalea Lombardi! This is an order!" Astana yelled loudly while holding Azalea's hand. "N-No! Please go away, My Prince!" Azalea said and struggled away from him. Astana gritted his teeth and harshly grabbed her head make she surprised.
"That eyes is mine. You can't get away from me. Be mine and I will make you become the Empress." Astana coldly said as Azalea's pupil was shaking in fear.
Azalea gritted her teeth when she suddenly remembers about it. "The history will repeat again?! I don't want to!" Azalea thought. She touch her rose pendant bracelet from behind.
"Come here." Astana said as Azalea gulped her saliva and stepped closer. "Lea, no!" Florentia quickly stopped her. "The First Prince will become obsessive with her later!" Florentia thought.
Azalea didn't say anything and just smiled at her while push her hand away. Florentia was surprised by it. The twins also shock about it.
"Good girl." Astana smirked widened when Azalea come closer to him. She just shut her eyes close when Astana hold her cheek. When Azalea closed her eyes, Astana's eyes darkened and harshly grabbed her cheek make she surprised.
"Don't you dare close that eyes. I want to see it." Astana coldly said to her. Azalea stare at him before clenched her jaw. "... He become obsessed... What should I do? I don't want to make history repeat again..." Azalea thought before glanced behind.
Her eyes catches the glimpse of her grandfather and aunt make she feel relief. Azalea start to smile and looked back at Astana. "You can't have me." Azalea whispered. Astana was confused by it.
"Kya!!"
Azalea suddenly down on the floor with wounded cheek along with her loud scream. Astana who didn't do anything was confused. Azalea harshly stepped away from him make Astana's nail scratch her face.
"Lea!" Florentia kneel beside her and saw that Azalea was crying with bleeding cheek. "W-What? I didn't do it-" Astana was taken back at the sight of her bleeding cheek.
Azalea slightly looked up at Astana and smirked while her tears flowing down. "I don't want to be your puppet anymore." Azalea thought. Astana was surprised by it. "What-" Astana was about to say but Rulac cut him off.
"What are you doing in Lombardi?!" Rulac yelled loudly. "H-Head?! It's..." Astana was scared at the sight of him.
"Get out of the way." Shananet coldly said as the Knight stepped away from her. "Mother..." The twin slowly said in relief. Shananet quickly hug them.
"Are you both okay? Any injuries?" Shananet gently asked them while wipe their sweat away. "It's okay. Lea protected us." Mayron said to her. "That bad guy want to take Lea away." Gillou said.
"Hah.. Okay." Shananet pulled them closer and feel relief when she didn't saw any injuries from them.
Shananet looked at Azalea and widened her eyes when she saw her bleeding cheek. Florentia helped her from beside. "Lea!" Shananet said in surprise. She quickly grabbed her handicrafts and put it on her cheek.
"Hic... It's scary..." Azalea said while crying. Shananet glared at Astana before pulled Azalea closer to her chest. "It's okay, Lea. You do it very well." Shananet gently said and looked at Florentia from beside.
"Thank you, Tia for helping them." Shananet said. "Oh, no. It's fine... But Lea was injured because of him and I can't protect her..." Florentia slowly said as she looked down in sadness.
"... Will Lea become his puppet again...? I don't want to let him take Lea away again..." Florentia thought and gripped her hands from beside.
In the past life, Astana would take Azalea away for three day every week. Everytime Azalea get back home, she would return with empty face and messy appearance. Florentia can't help her because of the promise between them but she can't help and crying at the sight of her sister.
It's how Azalea live before she got kicked out and has tlenburgh. When they lived as commoner, Florentia hide Azalea away from Astana in order to protect her.
Florentia gripped her hands when she feel like she fail to protect Azalea again. "It's okay, Tia. That's also very respectable. Gallahan raised you two very well." Shananet said while wiping her tears away. Florentia just noticed that she cried at the thought of Azalea.
"In comparison, I was informed about the visit but I didn't expect something like this to happen, Prince." Shananet said while glaring at Astana make he flinched. "No! She's the one that hurt-" Astana tried to defend himself.
"Didn't the Prince learn about the promise between Lombardi and Imperial families?" Rulac coldly cut him off. "I've heard of... An old story. There's a land in this Empire where the Imperials Knights aren't allowed to enter. No way my Father would allow such a ridiculous rule to be made-" Astana answered before get cut again.
"Not Jovaces, the ancestors of the Emperor, the first Emperor, Romatili Durelli, it was a pledge made between him and Benox Lombardi, the Head of Lombardi family back then." Rulac said to him. Astana was surprised when he casually addressed his father like that. "How can you mention the Father's name so-" Astana slowly said but get cut off again.
"All of you! The Prince's teaching is insufficient! He can't tell right from wrong. How can he get carried away like this?!" Rulac angrily shouted at the maids behind him.
"Sorry." Everyone quickly bowed their head in fear at him. Astana blushed after he realized what was happening.
"Wow... He's being dismissed as ignorant in the public." Azalea thought while hiding her smile by using the handicrafts that stopped her bleeding. She was hiding behind Rulac along with Florentia.
"You know this is enough to protest against the Imperial family. But, I'll think of it as a mistake for this one time since the prince is still young." Rulac proudly said to him.
Azalea looked at her grandfather from behind before smiled softly. "In front of anyone, even in the face of the Imperial power, he does not bow his head." Azalea thought.
"So, this is Lombardi!"
Astana was shaking in anger and shouted loudly. "I just want to be friend with her! She should be glad that I want be friend-!" Astana tried to say any excuses about it and glared at Azalea. She just blankly stare back at him.
"Let's stop this. It's no good for the prince if His Majesty finds out about this." His nanny said as he realized about it. Astana clicked his tongue in anger. "These useless things! Fine, let's go! I don't want to be in this place anymore!" Astana shouted and run off from there.
Without anyone notice, Azalea sighed in relief from behind. "I don't know if this can stop him become obsessed with me but I'm glad that I finally free from him for awhile." Azalea thought as she rubbed her sore cheek.
"Azalea." Azalea froze when Rulac called for her. She looked up at him and realized about it. "Ah... I'm going to get into trouble." Azalea thought when Rulac looked at her. She also glanced at Shananet and the twins.
"I acted rashly, I even involved the twins in danger." Azalea thought before looked at Florentia that looked really concerned at her. "... Sorry, Tia for almost let you in danger." Azalea thought before looked down and hold her hands in manner.
"I barely won grandfather's favour..." Azalea thought.
"Yes, grandpa. Please do say." Azalea slowly said while looked down.
"What are we going to do?"