Becoming a Hostage and a Concubine (1)

I was in my room preparing my things for the journey going to Alessandria. I looked at my luggage and realized I only have little clothes to bring.

"Your highness, why would you not want to take all of your clothes?" Jessie, my personal maid said.

"I do not need so many clothes over there." I replied. "For sure they will be giving me clothes fit for a concubine of the emperor of Alessandria."

"Are you talking about their thin and showy clothes, your highness?" Jessie asked. "But they look so revealing. They are so thin that you can see thru it. They are unlike the sophisticated dresses here in our empire."

"They have a reason why they have such thin clothes, you know." I replied. "The weather in the east is much hot and humid unlike the weather here in the west."

The way of life here in Constantine is different from Alessandria. Not only the dresses, but also the culture. Also, there is a difference in appearance. The people here in Constantine have a fair complexion, while in Alessandria they have a sun kissed complexion.

"And not all the clothes there are revealing. Mostly the concubines of the emperor are specifically making there dresses more revealing to attract the attention of the emperor." I said. "I learned that the emperor of Alessandria, Romulus Alessander, has hundreds of concubines in his harem but the seat of empress is still vacant. Many of the concubines uses their bodies to please the emperor so that they can win the seat of empress."

"Oh my, so that is why." Jessie was astonished. "But how do you know such things, your highness."

"A-Ahem…" I coughed.

I forgot that I am maintaining ang image of a princess that does not know anything.

"W-Well, my brother Alexus has told me." I lied. "He is going to be a crown prince, hence he must know some information about our enemy empire, hehe."

"Oh, I see." Jessie replied with a smile.

Fortunately, Jessie is not such a bright person. I specifically chose her when I was still young because she looked slow and also illiterate. I do not want to have anyone knowing about my true nature here inside the palace.

Jessie and I were busy packing when the door slammed open suddenly. I saw Alexus come in a hurry with an angry look.

"SISTER!" Alexus shouted.

"Alexus!" I scolded him. "That is not how a crown prince should behave."

"Then I do not want it!" Alexus replied. "I do not want the crown prince position."

"Hush now, Alexus." I reprimanded him. "Jessie, please go out for now and close the door behind you."

"Yes, your highness." Jessie replied and went outside and closed the door.

"Sit down first, Alexus." I said to him.

"How can you be so calm when all of this is happening?" Alexus asked. "You… you are going to be sent there as a hostage!" He yelled.

"Alexus… hah" I sighed. "I do not have any choice but to accept. You know that. Father could have taken different means to force me to go."

"We could have asked for the help of the pope." Alexus said. "You know he can help us in any matter."

The pope of the Church of Light was an old man that had taken care of our mother when he was still a priest. The Church of Light's previous pope might have used my mother because of her powers and made her as saintess, but the current pope, Pope Julius IX, was like a father to my mother. The Church of Light's grand order might still be clinging to me, hoping that I have my mother's abilities, but at least Pope Julius is different.

"I know he could help… but putting you in the position of crown prince is much more important than me." I said. "I will do everything, even be one of hundreds of concubines in a harem just to make you emperor of the Constantine Empire."

"But sister…" Alexus started to shed tears. "What is the use of the emperor's seat if you are not here with me. I only wanted to be emperor because I do not want you to be looked down upon anymore. You are a true princess of the empire, not some b*stard born out of an affair."

"Shhh…. Hold your tongue for now, Alexus." I scolded him. "We are still threading in thin ice. The crown prince position maybe yours now, but Duke Noel might do something to take that away. I am not here to protect you anymore, my little brother."

"I do not like this…sister." Alexus' tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I also do not want us to part, but what I did makes you one step away from the seat of emperor." I said. "I will do anything for you, my little brother. So, stop crying. Okay?"

"S-Sister." Alexus sniffed. "Promise me that you will survive in that horrible place. I will do what I can to save you from there when I become emperor. I promise you." I smiled with his words.

"Do not worry about me, my little brother. I will do what I can to survive in the harem." I patted his head. "Just make sure that you will not let those Aberforts bully you, okay. Always watch your back. Arthur will surely help you in the imperial court."

"I will be okay, sister. It is you I am worried about." Alexus replied. "I heard that the emperor of Alessandria has many concubines. You know how the life is inside an imperial harem. That I why having a polygamous relationship was banned for the imperial family here in the Constantine Empire."

"Do you think I will let others bully me?" I giggled. "Do not worry too much. I will not let them bully me there. Unlike here that I have you to think about, in Alessandria I will only think about myself. I can definitely manage."

"Here, take this." Alexus gave me a necklace that is the memento of our deceased mother the empress. It has a heart shape locket. Once you open the locket a small portrait of my mother and us siblings are there inside.

"But this is the only memento that mother had left." I said.

"That is why I want you to have it." Alexus took off the necklace and placed it around my neck. "So that you will have a piece of your family with you."

"Thank you, Alexus." I hugged my brother, forcing myself not to cry.