10 Someone In The Room

Princess Valeria was in her palace pacing back and forth.

'Something is off.'

'I remembered that Duke Salvador was there and looking at someone.'

'I cannot be wrong.'

'And when the Duke was absent during the dance all the other three Princesses were there.'

'I am missing something.'

Princess Valeria was sure of this. Her eyes had always been on the Princesses as she thought of them as her competition.

'One is a water mage while the other two are wind mages. They are no match for me in terms of power. Then why would the Duke like one of them?'

"Aaah!!" Princess Valeria pulled her hair out as she took a flower pot in her hand. She crashed down with a bang, breaking it into small pieces.

"Princess …!!" Many maids came running but soon saw the room was in a mess. The maids went down on their knees as they tried to pick the pieces up in fear that it would hurt the first Princess.

"GET OUT!!" Princess Valeria shouted at the top of her lungs. Her hands were trembling as she felt helpless. "Who asked you to come inside? Are you trying to go against me now?"

Princess Valeria walked towards the maid who was trembling in fear. Their eyes were red as their throat ran dry.

"P .. Prin ...Princess."

Princess Valeria's eyes flicked as all she could see was red. Her steps slowed as she walked forward. "You tried touching something you shouldn't have"

Princess Valeria's tone went lower as her gaze narrowed. Her hand moved as soon as a small flame emerged in between her fingers. "People who don't know their places should suffer."

"AAAHHHH!!!!"

"Aaaaaa …"

"Help …"

"Pease, Princess AAaahh …. Princ …."

"Sorry ... Princ ... AAAHH ..."

Princess Valeria looked at the body's burning in pain. The red and yellow flames glowing under the moon as the flaming body gave a treat to Valeria's eyes.

"I feel better .." Princess Valeria smiled as she walked towards her window. The wind was blowing softly playing with her golden hairs.

"Valeria?" The Empress walked into the chamber in a hurry. "I heard a lot of commotion was …."

"The Empress stopped at the door as she saw the burned bodies of the maids almost turning into ashes. "This .."

"Oh, Mother. What brings you here?" Valeria smiled as she walked towards the Empress with light feet. "Should we have tea?"

The Empress looked at her daughter as if she had lost all the hope in the world. "Valeria, what is this?"

Valeria's eyes turned blank as she looked at the unmoving bodies on the floor. A smirk formed on her face. "They were punished. Then did something without my permission."

The Empress's eyes shook. She knew Valeria was powerful but this behavior would harm her more. And she did not want her daughter to suffer due to her anger.

The Empress looked at the silent guards. "What were you doing when this all happened?"

"T... That …"

The Empress rubbed her forehead in annoyance. "Bury the dead body and make sure it was an accident. If any other word spreads out then …"

The guards shiver as they hurried to follow the orders. It was not the first time they had to get rid of something in the palace.

When everyone went out the Empress walked towards her daughter, "Valeria …"

"Yes .." A smile played on Valeria's lips. "Why did mother come here in a hurry? Your hair is out of place." Valeria played with her mother's hair as she placed a strand of hair behind the Empress's ears. "Should I punish your lady-in-waiting as well?"

The Empress's gaze shook as she held her daughter's hand. "I know what is troubling you. Don't worry Valeria, whoever that is. She will suffer."

Princess Valeria was quiet as she looked at the Empress. She wanted to lash out, the feelings buried inside her heart were trying to come out.

"And how is mother planning to do that?"

"My daughter is forgetting that apart from being your mother, I am also the Empress."

Princess Valeria was thinking hard, but soon she nodded her head. "If you cannot handle them then I will."

The Empress swallowed. Her method of taking care of people was a little different. It was secretive but effective. While that of Princess Valeria was exaggerated and deadly.

"I know. I will take care of it."

------------------

"Princess …" Amy ran into the room in a hurry as she closed the door and windows in a hurry.

"Amy." Cassandra could feel that Amy was frightened. It was as if a huge beast was after her, almost killing her.

"Prin … Princess …" Amy ran as her eyes widened in shock. She was trembling all over. "Ther … There .."

Cassandra was confused as she found some footsteps coming towards their chamber.

[We have to find her.]

[Only if we had seen her face]

[Should we wake other Princesses up]

Many thoughts flooded into Cassandra's mind. 'They are the guards.'

[They will find me.] Amy was silent as her hand trembled.

"Amy .." Cassandra put her hand on Amy's. "You close your eyes and act like you are asleep. No matter what, do not open your eyes."

Amy's eyes opened but when she saw the confidence in her Master's gaze, she nodded and followed the order.

Amy's heart was still beating faster. No matter how much she tried to control it, she failed. Thus Amy could only close her eyes and wait for what Princess Cassandra wanted to do.

Cassandra closed her eyes as she brethren in a few long breaths to control her heart.

'Something might have happened.'

'Did Amy see something?'

'She might have.'

Cassandra was lucky in a sense as no one guarded her room at night. She was someone who just lived in the palace without any significance, thus the guards were never assigned to her.

'No one might have seen Amy.'

Cassandra told herself that but soon a knock came on her door. Cassandra walked towards the door and opened it slowly.

"Princess." Two guards greeted Cassandra but their eyes looked inside the room.

Cassandra looked inside and saw that not only on her but the guards were also at another door.

'They are from the Empress's squad.'

The Empress had special guards assigned to her. They were people who only followed the Empress's order alone.

'What are they doing here?'

"Yes .." Cassandra rubbed her eyes slowly and yawed a little. "Why are you here?"

"Princess, we are searching for someone. Is there anyone in the room?" The guard asked and soon they found someone besides the Princesses bed.

Cassandra's eyes widened as she trembled. "Someone broke through?" She took a step back. "My lady-in-waiting is sick. She has a fever and has been trembling since early night."

Cassandra's eyes filled with water. "What will happen to us? I cannot do anything and my lady-in-waiting also doesn't have any power." Cassandra looked at the guards "Did the Empress send you all to save us? The Empresses care for us so much."

The guards were speechless as they saw tears in the fifth Princess's eyes. One of the female guards came forward as she entered the room. "I will check."

Cassandra nodded as she looked worried. "Don't wake Amy up. If she does not get her rest she won't be able to work tomorrow and there is no one other than her to look after me."

The female guard nodded as she looked around the room. The room was not heavily decorated. Minimum things were making the room look larger.

"The area is clear." The female guard looked at Amy who was shivering a little as if she was cold.

[Princess was telling the truth.]

[There is no one here and the lady-in-waiting looks sick.]

[The person we saw was able to levitate soil. It was an earth mage.]

Cassandra took a breath as she confirmed that the guards ignored her from their search.

"Sorry to disturb the Princess."

Cassandra nodded but her eyes shook. She asked with her trembling voice. "Please find the intruder soon. I think I might not be able to sleep tonight."

The guards looked at Cassandra as they nodded. "Don't worry Princess. We will find the intruder soon. You should take care of yourself till then."

"Oh yes. I will lock my door tightly." Cassandra blinked her eyes as she nodded. "I hope I will be safe," Cassandra murmured under her breath as she locked the door.

Cassandra blinked as she took some deep breath as she listened to the guard's thoughts.

[If it is no one among the Princess then who might it be?]

[If the Empress gets to know it, we might get in trouble.]

[We need to find the person soon.]

Cassandra's eyes darkened as she saw Amy get up slowly. Cassandra indicated Amy to wait to make sure that the guards were out of reach. Once she had confirmed, Cassandra moved towards Amy and said.

"You tell me what you have seen for all this to happen."