Chapter 1

The sun is yet to set in Epiphanteur and the air is cold. Today's no special day for the Princess for today another visitor will arrive. Ever since the King and Queen asked her to choose a husband to her liking, the word has gotten out, and more and more people started coming to the palace just to meet her. It hasn't even been a week since they had the talk and the gossip had already spread.

Dionne sighed as she stared at her reflection. She's dubbed the most beautiful in the world and she takes pride in that. But sometimes she wonders what it's like to not be so beautiful. She's the only one in the royal family who has black hair and red eyes. Her features made her stand out for she inherited the great beauty of her ancestors. She possessed the black hair from the Gahnospinels and her red eyes from the Cerussites.

"Another day another visitor," she says, brushing her long locks. Just when she thought she was having the day for herself, she receives word that a royal will arrive. A prince, in fact. She didn't ask for his name or information. She thought that maybe if she acted differently this foreign prince would lose interest.

"Your majesty, rise and," her lady at waiting enters only to be shocked that her master's been awake. The lady bowed to the floor, afraid of being punished. "Forgive me, your grace," the girl pleads, "I am late."

Dionne walked to her, pulling the girl up. "You're not late," she said before heading back to her vanity. "I simply woke up earlier than usual."

"I shall prepare your bath at once and your clothes, your grace," said the girl who hurriedly went to do her chores. Other ladies then came to serve the princess her breakfast.

Dionne has a routine. She wakes up and her ladies come in to feed her breakfast. After eating, she would either bathe first or get dressed right away. She usually takes an hour or more to dress and prepare herself for the day. Her long locks of hair had to be properly styled and her face must always look fresh and beautiful. When she's finished, she usually attends her lessons. After her lessons, she would have her duties as a princess such as entertaining their visitors. Whatever free time she has left, she would go about reading or scribbling. She rarely has time for herself. Now even more since she has countless of visitors to entertain and balls to attend.

After Dionne finished eating and bathing, she hastily got dressed. Her ladies dressed her in a beautiful champagne-colored dress that hugged her figure and was adorned with lace and countless of pearls. Her hair was left to flow freely with pearls and braids to accent her beauty. To most people, she is dressed like a goddess, but as a royal, she is actually underdressed.

"You look beautiful, your grace," said her ladies.

Dionne smiled sweetly in appreciation.

One of her ladies, Ms. Eviana, handed her a letter. It had the royal seal of her grandmother, Queen Dowager Morganite.

"From the former Queen, your grace," said Eviana.

Dionne opened the letter.

Dearest Dionne,

My sweet grandchild. You are coming of age soon. I've had word from your father that you will wed by the end of the next year. They have chosen a sum of suitors for you as have I.

As the former Queen, I advise you to pick your future husband wisely. You know well that my marriage to your grandfather is not a happy ending. You need to find someone with great might. Someone who can help you politically but cannot control you. Either you find someone you can use, or you'll end up marrying one of your cousins.

Your marriage to one of our own will make your line superior and mighty. But understand this, Dionne. Should you marry one of your cousins who bear the name Gahnospinel, your power will cease to exist and will be handed over to him. It's no secret that you're my favorite grandchild which is why I'm giving you this warning.

I shall see you on your eighteenth birthday, Dionne. By then I shall hope that you have found yourself someone you can use.

With love,

Queen Dowager Morganite

"Of course," Dionne says, putting the paper back in its envelope. As she expected, her grandmother will give her this warning. She wouldn't do so much to comfort her. Morganite isn't soft. She had always encouraged Dionne to use her intelligence and never her heart.

"I shall go to the main entrance to receive our guests," Dionne says, "I will have all of you prepare the table in the gardens at my palace. Some tea and treats should be arranged by the time I arrive with our visitor. Perhaps some pastries with chocolate."

"Yes your grace," said Eviana. Eviana bowed along with the others and they left to attend to her highness's requests.

Dionne looked one last glance at her reflection. "Power," she reminds herself, "Whoever this guest is, I need to make sure he knows his place." She spritz herself with her favorite scent of warm vanilla and cinnamon and left her chambers. She is the princess of Epihanteur and the heir to the throne. She was raised knowing that one day she'll be queen. She can't let anyone—any suitor—think that she can be their marionette in their ambitions.

As she made her way to the main entrance, she was greeted by the servants and her subjects with praises of her beauty and bows. Usually, she acknowledges their presence, but she's in an incredibly foul mood and no praise can change that. One of the princess' secret flaws is her fiery temper. Once she's in rage, there's no going back. When she's in her worst mood, everyone just figured that the best way to deal with it is to stay out of her way.

Her younger sisters, Saisha and Zorina met her by the hall with a big wave.

"Good morning, sister," greeted Saisha. Unfortunately, her older sister is in no mood of her company. She only received a nod as they continued their walk to the entrance.

"Why are you here, Saisha?" Dionne asked, sounding cold as ever. "If you and your sister can greet visitors, why should I be needed?"

The relationship Dionne has with her sisters has always been strained. It's a well-known fact that her parents had their favorites and she was neither one of theirs. Dionne was practically raised by her grandmother, the Dowager Queen Morganite.

Saisha coughed. "Today's visitor happens to be a very important one," replied Saisha, "He's from the rival kingdom. Our families are practically at war."

Dionne was confused. Why would they give this visitor such a formal welcome if he's from the rival kingdom? People like them are always received by one noble and never a royal. That's how cold the court is towards an enemy.

"Which kingdom?" Dionne asked.

Saisha shrugged. "I don't remember, sister," she says, "Just be glad that the visitor we're receiving isn't one of your suitors. That would be quite the cherry on top of your already ruined morning."

The trio waited impatiently by the main door in an orderly fashion. The visitor was said to arrive at 9:30 and yet he's late for thirty minutes. By this time, all three princesses were in a mood and not just Dionne.

Finally, the trumpets were heard and the pager announced the arrival of their mysterious visitor.

"Prince Andreas Nifontovite of the South, heir to the Nifontovite Throne," the pager announced.

Soon after, the Prince made his appearance causing every woman's jaw to drop. All but Dionne's. The prince was tall and well-built like a god. He has messy black hair that framed his perfect face and eyes the color of obsidian. His skin was as fair as the most beautiful in the land that is Dionne.

"Your grace," both Saisha and Zorina greeted the young prince with a curtsy.

Dionne stood her ground, staring at the prince before her. She knew him well and never in her wildest dreams did she think they'd ever meet again. His family is the sworn enemy of hers. The last they had met was when she was no more than twelve and he was thirteen.

The prince bowed in respect to the kingdom's heiress. He took her hand and gently kissed it in proper respect as a gentleman should.

"Princess Dionne," he greeted, "It has been a while."

He stared at her. She too has changed. She was no longer the skinny princess who followed him wherever he went. She has grown to be a real beauty. Her medium-length black hair has grown longer; her skin had grown even fairer; her set of ruby eyes has grown more mysterious, and her once skinny body has filled out in all the right places. But has the princess's affections left entirely?

She acknowledged his presence finally with a light curtsy. "Prince Andreas," she greeted with a mysterious smile, "Welcome to our kingdom. I suppose you have grown tired from your journey. Would you join us for tea?"

He tried to read her face. She was smiling perfectly without a trace of emotion. Why was she being nice to him? Has she forgiven him? Or is she simply performing her duty as the princess? Regardless, he can't refuse her invitation. It would be a sign of disrespect.

"I would be delighted," was his short response.

"Will you be joining us, Saisha and Zorina?" Dionne asked, still emotionless.

Saisha was smart enough to refuse. She knew better than to be in the same room as them. She didn't know a lot, but she was aware of the past between the two. Dionne was already in a horrid mood and now she finds out the visitor is Andreas. It was a war waiting to happen.

"I shall join you another time, sister," replied Saisha.

"As will I," said Zorina. The two sisters then departed to escape their sister's wrath. If hell were to break loose, then they surely won't be there when it does.

Dionne then lead the prince to her palace gardens where the table was already set.

"Thank you," she told her ladies, "You may go now. The prince and I have matters to discuss."

There it is, the prince thought. He knew something was bound to happen sooner or later. The princess will unleash her wrath upon him one way or another.

"Would you like some tea, your grace?" Dionne asked ever so calmly. She poured herself some tea and stirred it with sugar and milk. "This is what I usually enjoy when I don't drink my coffee."

"I would like coffee, princess," the prince replied.

The princess nodded, preparing his cup. "Milk and sugar, your grace?" she asked.

He nodded, accepting the cup she had prepared him. Her calmness still confuses him. She's so unreadable, unlike the princess he knew when they were children.

"I will be honest, your grace," she says, taking a sip from her tea. "I didn't know that you're the visitor coming. Tell me, why did you come to our kingdom? Surely not for hospitality. Our families are almost at war against each other."

He took no offense with what she said. He replied, "I came with an offer regarding peace. But this matter will be discussed with the King and Queen. I do hope we can talk about other matters."

"Like what?" the princess pursed her lips. What did he want to talk about? Dionne was sure that he didn't like her company as much as she despised his.

He took a sip from his coffee. To his surprise, it was actually good. It was sweet and warm like a childhood memory he had. He smiled unconsciously.

"I see that you enjoy the coffee," said the princess.

Andreas smiled. "I must admit that it's surprisingly delicious," he admits, "You weren't exactly amazing with such things when we were in the academy so I assumed this to be the worst."

She smiled, keeping her cool. If she showed her annoyance then it would mean that he had won. I suppose you haven't changed, Andreas. You still enjoy annoying me, she thought, sipping her tea.

This alone was unexpected. To see him again and in her palace of all places. Why is he here? What's the offer he has for her parents? So many questions in her head. She's bound to get it out of him at tea. She may not have always been keen on getting answers from him, but she sure has acquired the skill throughout the years they've spent apart. Tea time will be tea time. She'll get this prince to spill the tea.