1 Prologue
Amelie's story is pretty much similar to that of other unfortunate princesses.
She was the second daughter of the King of Luxseldar and the youngest of four children. However, she was a "defective" bastard child, so she was never spoiled⸻or even wanted⸻in the royal family.
It wasn't a secret that she was the result of one of the king's love affairs with a foreign dancer who once came to the castle during a big celebration. They say her dancing was alluring enough to seduce any man, and the King was not the exception.
When the dancer found out she was pregnant, she told the King but he refused to acknowledge the unborn baby was his, he refused to admit his mistake. Still, he had no choice but to take responsibility for the child when the woman exposed his sin in front of his subjects during a parade. He was supposed to be noble and chivalrous, so he recognized Amelie as his illegitimate daughter and offered child support.
Things calmed down after the incident. However, the dancer died of an illness years later and he had no choice but to bring the orphan and young Amelie into the castle.
Her arrival was not smooth at all, as the Queen opposed it fervently. Still, people's eyes were on them, so she couldn't keep on refusing.
To be honest, the King was stunned when he saw her for the first time. He had seen her as a newborn of course, but he didn't really remember what she looked like. Thus, although her presence was problematic, he had to admit that she was as beautiful and exotic as her mother. Her skin was beautifully tanned in a shade that made him think of an exquisite piece of chocolate and her green eyes were crystal clear. Her mother had hypnotic eyes as green as an emerald, but Amelie had light and bright eyes that resembled colored glass. Her hair was wavy and voluminous, and its color was the only thing she had taken after him: it was a very light and soft shade of blonde, and that contrast between her skin and her hair made her even more eye-catching.
At first, he thought that having her there was a blessing in disguise. In fact, he started making plans in his head right away. Maybe he could marry her off to the prince of another country or to a powerful nobleman in order to form an alliance. There were many options! And he knew the Queen would like that as well.
He excitedly approached her but then, he realized there was something wrong with Amelie that made him unable to favor her: She was mute and, therefore, useless.
