The Hostage Princess (2)

(Almera's POV)

I was seating by the window reading my book inside my room as always. Who would believe that the eldest princess of the Constantine Empire is a shut in?

I am the eldest child of the royal family of Constantine. Me and my brother, Alexus Ashford Constantine, are the children of Emperor Reginald Constantine III with Empress Althea. Many believe that my parents had a fairy tale love story, being that my father who was once a prince fell in love with the saintess who was a commoner. But that was not the case.

In my earlier years, I saw that my mother and father does not have love for each other. When I see my father looking at my mother, all I can see is a look of contempt. My mother on the other hand respected my father, but I cannot see any love. My father also does not have love for us, his children. He sees us like we were just one of his subjects, someone who is good if they are useful and if not, they are discarded.

My mother died of sickness when I was seven and Alexus was six. In her death bed she had talked to me privately. I remember her words like it was yesterday.

[Flashback start]

"Almera, my daughter…" My mother called out to me. "Promise me that you would never reveal to anyone that you have that kind of power. Promise me, my love."

"B-But why, mother?" My younger self asked.

"Because many people would use you to their advantage." My mother said. "I know you want to use your powers for good, but many other people would covet it to their own advantage. It would be better to not use it at all."

"I promise mother." My younger self promised while crying. "But please do not leave me. Do not leave me and Alexus alone."

"I am sorry, Almera." My mother smiled sadly. "I cannot promise you that. Take care of yourself and please take care of your brother for me."

"Mother…" My younger self cried.

[Flashback end]

After that conversation, my mother breathed her last breath.

My mother was always a cheerful person. She used her healing powers to help others. The news of her powers reached The Church of Light and thus she became a saintess, healing more people all over the continent.

She was betrothed to my father who was a prince at that time. And not long they married and became the emperor and empress of the Constantine Empire.

Now that I am older, I knew that my father only married my mother because of her status as saintess. With the Church of Light's influence, he had become more powerful and had gained the strength to take the throne. He only used my mother as a steppingstone to gain his seat as emperor.

When my mother died, I knew that we have half siblings. He had a mistress from the Aberfort family. My father had taken in his two illegitimate children from his mistress Rosalind, Jonas who was the same age as me and Quinevere who is two years younger.

I knew just recently that Rosalind was my father's sweetheart since young. They should have been engaged to be married if not my father coveted the throne for himself. Because he wants power, he chose to marry my mother who was useful to him in his quest for power. She was also discarded after she was of no use without her powers. This was kept a secret as not to tarnish the royal family's name.

I was furious that my father had been unfaithful to my mother and I have expressed it quite evidently. My mother's reputation had become low because of this. But because she had died, there was nothing we can do to salvage her image. Many rumors spread such as saying that my mother was not enough to satisfy my father or something like my mother's powers vanished because she was not a virgin anymore.

When my mother gave birth to me, her powers of healing vanished and thus becoming useless. That is when her health began to decline. It declined even further when my brother was born. No one knew that her powers of healing have transferred to me.

The rumors of her losing her healing powers started when my father's mistress came into light. I believe that Duke Noel who was Rosalind's father was the one spreading this to lower my mother's reputation and put his daughter in the seat of empress.

Fortunately, many people had sided with my mother because of my father's infidelity, with the royal family of Constantine being a monogamous monarch. The Church of Light also made sure that even my father will marry again, the seat of empress will not be taken by anyone. It will remain vacant in his reign.

Because of the public's criticism the seat of empress was locked away, and now the seat of emperor is being fought. My brother Alexus and half brother Jonas are fighting for the seat of crown prince

"If I can do anything to help my brother secure his position as crown prince." I sighed. "My power is useless in this kind of situation. If only I can dream of a future that can help my brother win the crown prince position."

Aside from healing abilities, I also have prophetic dreams. It was dreams of what will come in the near future. But this power has it flaws, I do not have the ability to control my dreams as of yet.

"But I am practicing controlling it." I said and looked outside the window.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Yes?" I answered.

A maid came in and bowed her head.

"Your highness, you have been called to the throne room." The maid said.

"Right now?" I asked questioningly.

"Yes, your highness." The maid replied.

"Is it only me?" I asked and got down from the windowsill.

"Your other siblings as well were called." The maid replied.

"I see." I said. "I will be heading there then."

The maid bowed and exited my room.

'What would my father want from us?' I wondered. 'He never called for us in the throne room if it is not important.'