10
The news came. My brother, Damian Valerius, had been killed in battle.
My father draped our family estate in white mourning cloths and closed the doors to all visitors. The grief of losing his only son in his old age was too much; he collapsed in the middle of the King’s court.
When I finally went home, the entire estate was a sea of white linen and silent sorrow.
I fainted several times, and in the end, I had to be practically carried back to the Prince’s residence by his guards.
The King immediately began to dismantle my family. First, citing the war effort, he demanded my father fund the
But the royal treasury had been empty for years. There was no money.
ext campaign.
My father, frail and trembling, stood before the throne. “This old servant is useless,” he wept. “I cannot procure the funds.”
The King sneered. “The royal treasury may be empty, but I doubt the private vaults of my nobles are, Lord Valerius, surely you can find the silver?”
“If you cannot contribute to the kingdom, to our brave soldiers on the frontier… you will sorely test my patience.”
My father was dismissed.
That same day, he was stripped of his title. The King gave him a deadline: produce the money, or his house would be seized and his family ruined.
Trista was triumphant. She flaunted her victory in my face without restraint.
“Your father has lost the King’s favor, your brother is dead. Let’s see how much longer you can cling to your title in this palace, Cassia.”
She was treating me as if I were already a ghost.
had to repeat a silent mantra of patience to stop myself from slapping her. This was not the time to cause more trouble for my family.
Trista even began moving my belongings from the east wing to her own, claiming them as hers. If I hadn’t already filled my wing with our family’s
most worthless trinkets, she would have stripped it bare
12.34.00
most worthless trinkets, she would have stripped it bare.
The Princess’s residence became as cold and desolate as a prison.
The servants, ever eager to curry favor with the powerful, abandoned me. All except for the loyal few my mother had sent with me.
The others flocked to the west wing.
I overheard them whispering.
“The Princess won’t be a princess for much longer. You’d better get out while you can.”
“All the good positions in the west wing will be gone soon.”
“It’s only a matter of time before the mistress becomes the new princess. Don’t be a fool.”
