"Other than screaming, throwing tantrums, losing your bloody mind, what else are you good at??! You're just like that mother of yours! Why are you even my child!?"
The maids bowed down with their shoulders trembling while Rowena sat still looking like a mess on the floor. Her face soaked in tears, the blonde hair became a mess, on her left cheek, anyone could see 3 finger marks burning in red. The emperor in his mid fifty still looking strong glared at the daughter who had never done anything other than disappointing him.
"Open your two eyes wide and look at all your sisters! They all are trying so hard, do anything it takes to have the throne and what about you, you useless brat?? Other than fucking around with that bastard, cry and destroy anything you see, what the fuck can you do? Why don't you just die? You're so useless!"
"Why do I have to fight for the throne? I don't even want it!"
Slap.
"Shut your fucking mouth. If you want to be a useless duck this bad, I might as well sell you to some old king bastards!"
Rowena clenched her fist tightly trying to hold the tears of anger and hostility. Her mouth started to taste salty from the lips that got bitten to bleed. The emperor turned to the maids before a magician came in. He opened his mouth in an infuriated tone.
"Heal her wounds and prepare her. The Emperor from the south will be here today."
"Yes, we will do it right away, your majesty." Said the maids.
The magician took her bruised hands to do a healing process so the bruises would disappear while the maids rushed to prepare the bath. When the magician left, 2 maids came to help the princess get up with the look of worry on their faces.
"Please get up, your highness. Slowly."
"We already prepared the bath."
"Call for Mikhael here and get out." Said the princess firmly.
"Your highness can't ignore his majesty's order like that. Your highness will be beaten once again."
"Just do your job!"
Rowena glared at the maids who insisted on her command.
"I'm sorry, your highness. Please don't provoke his majesty. It's better than The Duke getting banned from entering the imperial palace, right?"
Rowena gritted her teeth when she heard so. She let the maids do whatever they needed to and kept quiet like a doll the whole time. A maid brushed Rowena's blonde hair while another one wiped the wet slender legs with a towel. They did it so gently that it looked like they were caring for the most precious gems in the world.
After putting everything on, Rowena became the dazzling woman as she always is. Nobody would know she had just gotten physical abuse from her own father right before that.
"It is done, your highness."
Without looking at herself in the mirror, she got up and left. On the way to the main palace of the emperor, she held a handkerchief with her the whole way there. When she went inside, all her half sisters were already present. They looked at her as if they were so used to her showing up late. When she looked in a direction, she met the first Princess's eyes. Rowena clenched her fist when the other party smirked.
"Everyone has arrived. Stand in places."
said The emperor before turning to Rowena.
"Behave yourself. I'll kill you if you try to embarrass me."
Rowena acted as if she didn't hear the threatening words. She stood next to all her 4 sisters. She was the youngest among them. The handkerchief was still in her hand and she held it tighter to suppress her emotions that could burst out any time soon. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be where Mikhael is.
"The Emperor of the southern empire has arrived!" A voice screamed out as the tall door opened.
Everyone, except the emperor, stood firm before bowing their heads to the presence of a mighty young man. The southern emperor. Styling himself in his culture clothes, the man was so fine. Black hair, dark blue eyes, fair skin, a built body. When the Princesses lifted their faces up, he gave them a little smile. The emperor walked to the younger emperor with a friendly smile, completely different from the face he showed to his daughter.
"It is an honour to be visited by you, emperor."
"The honour is mine."
Henry Elliott Imogen.
The new southern emperor.
Even though both countries were called the Empire, the south was richer and more powerful. There was a rumour that the southern country had the intention to take over the western empire. The war may start. After the war happened, the western empire may collapse due to the lack of wealth and prosperity.
~
The large head tables were filled by the two emperors of both countries and the princesses. The dinner had set. Everyone was exchanging words with laughter. Rowena sat still, ridiculous how fake her family could be in front of other people.
"Are the princesses aware of the reason why I came here?" The charming young emperor asked the ladies in front of him.
"Your majesty the emperor had come to pick a bride." The fourth Princess claimed.
Henry laughed softly before affirmed.
"I think I have already chosen one."
Everyone at the table gasped except Rowena. The old emperor asked.
"Who is it?"
"The fifth princess."
Rowena's mind turned blank at the moment hearing so while the others closed their mouths in disbelief. She looked at the man who also looked in her direction.
"Let's be honest. I've been invited by the western emperor here to have a taste of the princess who fit my liking. I'd like it if the fifth princess would come to me tonight."
The old emperor was stunned. Henry hadn't intended to save his face. He openly said the emperor was trying to throw his daughter off as a prostitute to avoid the war that could happen in the near future.
"Yes. She will accompany you."
Rowena stood up. Everyone went pale, they were trying so hard not to displease the powerful enemy. Henry smiled.
"Do you want to go right now, princess? I don't mind if you do."
"Please choose someone else. I have a…"
"She's just a bit flustered! Please let her take a shower and she will go to you right away." The old emperor rushed to cut in.
"Sure."
~
"Let go! I said let go! I won't do it!" Rowena screamed in her room trying to break free from the maids' hands.
"Your highness, please!" The maids almost cried out.
Rowena tried to break free like she was losing her mind.
"Mikhael…! Let go! Mikhael!"
"The southern emperor has arrived."
The maids gasped at the remark. Why would he come here personally when she was supposed to be sent to his room? And the princess hadn't dressed properly yet.
The door opened.
A charming man walked in alone with his hands crossed behind his back. Rowena glared at the tall figure. The maid hurriedly let go of her and ran out before the door was closed.
"Seems like the princess didn't want to do her duty."
A firm deep voice threw itself off his lips. Looking at the beautiful woman who looked like she went crazy, he raised his eyebrows.
"Please choose someone else."
Rowena claimed independently when she was supposed to be begging him on her knees so her country wouldn't fall into ash.
The man neared the distance between them. His tall figure stood before her and she had to look up to see his eyes. A big hand grabbed her chin roughly. He looked at the spoiled woman who didn't know her place and stated.
"You're in no position to tell me what to do. I'm not one of your manwhores. Right at this moment, you're not a princess, Rowena. You're like a prostitute that sell themselves off to live. Don't talk big to me. Those so called manwhore knights of yours may have gone on their knees and licked your feet but you'll have to do the same to me. Behave yourself and beg for mercy. Before your country turns into ash and you, yourself, become a war-slave. You may be a princess who's higher than anyone in this country but you're below me. Know your place."
He grabbed the back of her neck and dragged her to bed. Rowena who was thrown like a soulless object gritted her teeth so hard. Her heart filled with hatred, anger, and pain. She felt like her heart was about to burst out.
"You should be thankful that I chose you."
He reached out to the woman who trembled from the hatred she felt at the moment and ripped her dress off. The small dress was ripped in half, showing her luscious body. Henry put his palm on her breast, his eyes were scanning her from head to toe. Rowena laid on the bed silently. Covered her face with her trembled hands.
"Say something. You were talkative a moment ago. You even commanded me to choose someone else."
He squeezed her breast hard to hurt her. The woman bit her lips. She felt the pain greatly. Even her heart was hurting.
"If you dare to shed a tear, I will have that manwhore of yours beheaded, I heard that you cherish him dearly, so try crying and watch his head fall to the ground."
"You can't just kill a Duke…!"
"I can. So try it."
Rowena tried to hold her tears back even though she was protesting his claim. The man flicked her nipples.
"Take your hands off and show me your face. You're nothing even with that princess title in this political world, you're just a card that your father will make use of at any time. Get that in your head and behave properly."
"..."
"A little kitten should act like one."
Rowena lost it at the nonstop insults. Tears ran down on her cheeks. Henry pecked a kiss on her inviting breast. Dropped his weight on the crying woman, he swallowed her little lips.
He bit her lips when Rowena refused to open her mouth. Pulled his face away, he then continued.
"Your pride was hurt? But you didn't deserve to have pride in the first place. You probably think you're all that high and mighty, living with people below your level for too long. Let us be honest here, Rowena, this is the only thing that's useful about you to me. Strip and lay here taking my cock."
"Stop…"
Rowena begged. The insult she heard from her very childhood. The same insult that her mother, a concubine, had gotten from her father. The wound deep in her heart ripped open. She sounded miserable.
"Stop…"
Henry looked at the woman who broke down after he destroyed her whole ego and opened her most painful memories. He swallowed her cry putting his lips on hers. Take her trembling hands, put it around his own neck by himself, he added.
"Hold onto me."