I Will Protect You This Time

Episode 02

(Still Alive)

! Warning !

This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Huff* Huff*

Isabella started breathing loudly.

What should I do? What if he… No! No! No! That cannot be. I haven't done anything at all! I haven't disobeyed any of his words!

Huff* Huff*

I feel so suffocated.

Ching*

Suddenly a blue light glowed brightly from the necklace she was wearing, creating a barrier that was circling her. And Isabella froze. As if frozen in time. She wasn't even blinking. And after a minute, the barrier slowly faded away. And Isabella turned back to normal, being unaware of the thing that just happened.

Haa~ Haa~

No! I have to calm down. I can't delay. He will get angrier if that happens.

Phew~

Isabella let out a deep breath.

I should hide the book first.

After that, she took out the book that was under the pillow and got up from the window seat. She then hurriedly walked towards the bed and hid the book under her bed. After that, she took the bell that was on the bedside table and shook it.

Ring* Ring*

And in a few minutes, a brown-haired maid with freckles showed up.

"You called, My Lady."

"Yes. I have to prepare for an audience with His Majesty. Help me to get prepared, Anne."

"Okay."

Then Anne brought a bowl of cold water for Isabella to get fresh.

"Here you go. Wash off your face. Do you know how hard it is to bring water to this place? Tch! So many stairs."

The weather was already chilly. Isabella didn't say anything and washed her face, trembling in the cold. She was used to it and already grateful to Anne for serving an abandoned princess like her.

'She must also be suffering for serving someone like me.'

After washing off my face, with the help of Anne I wore a simple brown gown with long sleeves and wrapped a shawl around my shoulder, then went towards His Majesty's study room.

The hallway was also cold because of the weather. As always the maids and the servants' disgusted look added. I walked forward pretending not to notice.

After a while, I reached His Majesty's study. After noticing me, the knight on duty knocked on the door and announced my presence.

*

*

*

Loire Empire

The Emperor's Study.

Emperor Mathias was sitting on his desk. He seems to be thinking about something deeply.

Tch!

'I can't believe I was going to send my beloved Ruby as that disgusting monster's bride. Whereas I could just send that wretched girl. I will just break off her engagement. Roberto is too good for that wretch. And I need to use him more anyways. Although it will be hard to control him without that wretch. Well, whatever. It's better to send that wretched thing far away from this empire. Disgusting animals suit each other anyways.'

While thinking, a cruel smirk was visible on his face.

Mathias never treated Isabella well. Not even once.

Isabella lost her mother when she was just 11 months old and her grandfather at the age of 6. After her grandfather's death, Isabella tried her best to get attention from her only remaining family member, her father.

But what she got was a look filled with loathe and disgust.

Mathias behaved well with her in front of other Aristocrats and only when he needed to use her. And she did whatever he asked her, as she thought,

'If I listen to father, probably this time he will pat me, as he pats Ruby. And also hug me. And he might love me, at least a little bit, like he loves Ruby.'.

Although that was just a little girl's happy delusion. But she still kept listening to whatever her father said. But only once did she disagree with her father but that woke her up from the childish delusion and made her life a hellish nightmare.

< Once she was 13, she didn't listen to one of his words.

"Your marriage partner has been decided."

"What?"

"It is King Bowman Buckman Taf of the Taf Kingdom."

"But father, he is 60 years old!"

"Age doesn't matter. As long as you marry him and give birth to a prince, we can seize that kingdom."

"No! I will never marry an old man like him."

Mathias snapped. His expression became heinous as if he was possessed by a gruesome demon. Or perhaps he is one.

"What? What did you just say?"

Isabella flinched.

"That-"

"Repeat what you just said."

"I-I don't want to m-marry an old man…"

Isabella said hesitantly while trembling in fear.

"Hah! It seems like I have been going easy on you."

Mathias scoffed.

"It is high time to teach you a lesson."

Mathias smiled cruelly.

He took the whip that was set as a decoration in the wall and started whipping Isabella cruelly.

"You ugly wretch! How dare you try to defy me!"

Whip! Whip! Whip!

"Arghh~ Father, What are you doing! It hurts! Sob*"

"Shut your cursed mouth!"

"Aghh~ I am sorry! I was wrong! Forgive me! Arghh~"

"You need to learn your lesson!"

Whip! Whip! Whip!

"Argh~ Forgive me! Argh!"

"How dare you defy me!"

"Argh~ Please stop! It hurts! It hurts so much!"

"How dare you! You disgusting wh*re!"

Whip! Whip! Whip!

"Arghh~ I'm sorry. Please stop! Argh! It hurts! I will marry whoever you want! Please stop! Father!"

"Don't say Father with that disgusting mouth of yours! It makes me want to kill you! Know your d*mn place!"

Whip! Whip! Whip!

"Argh~ I was wrong! Please stop! Someone! Anyone! Please~ Save me!"

"No one will save a wretch like you!"

The whole room was filled with Isabella's desperate scream and the sound of a slashing whip.

No one came to help her that day. She was beaten until she didn't have the energy to even scream. After that, she was locked in a dark room for 2 days without food or water.

From that day onwards, Isabella gave up on receiving his love or attention and never called him Father again. She had to listen to whatever he said, or else she was beaten till bleeding. After beating her, he would call a healer and heal her scars, so that people wouldn't know about his monstrosity.

It was a living hell for Isabella. But the memories with her grandfather made her live. She had to live to keep her promise.

And in the end, she didn't marry the King of Taf, as his dead body was found in his garden after a few days which was in a gruesome state. No one knew who brutally murdered him that day. >

Knock* Knock*

"Your Majesty, Princess Isabella is here."

Hearing this, Mathias's smirk grew bigger.

"Let her in."

*

*

*

"Greetings Your Highness. You asked for me."

"Yes. Your engagement has been annulled. "

My eyes opened wide in surprise. For a moment, I forgot about my fear. I became speechless.

What? What did he say?

"..."

"Did you hear me?"

Mathias said loudly.

"What? Pardon me. Perhaps I misheard you."

"No, you did not. Your engagement with Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind has been annulled."

I felt dizzy. This can't be. How long do I have to be trapped in this place? I hate this place. It's so suffocating here. I feel so small and useless. I want to get out of here. My engagement was my only escape. Now even that is gone! It can't be. No way.

"Instead you will be engaged to the crown prince of the Fellmirr Empire."

Fellmirr Empire?! The empire that grandfather talked about!

"Tha-"

"You should shut that mouth, you wretch. Are you trying to defy me?"

I flinched. There's no way I can. As long as I am here, I will always be his puppet.

"No, Your Majesty. I will do as you say."

"Good. You will depart for that place the day after tomorrow. Albert will inform you about other things. Now get out of my sight."

After bowing to him, I left that suffocating room.

*

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*

My room is on the top floor of the palace. So it takes a while to reach there.

I was walking alone in the hallway. The hallways had huge windows. It's the upper floor of the palace. So normally servants don't come in here.

I was feeling disgusted. Loathe myself for being so useless and pathetic. I can't even use magic! If I could, I might have had some freedom.

"Ahh…."

A small scream came out of my mouth. I want to die. But I can not. I promised grandfather to survive in this hellish place. Why God! Why me!

Whoosh~

Suddenly a gentle cold breeze was blowing from the hallway windows as if to console me. It was so gentle that my tears started flowing.

Haa~

Sob* Sob*

Isabella dropped on the floor and started crying while covering her face with both hands.

"I am still alive, Grandfather!"

I cried there for a while.. After settling down my pent up emotions, I slowly returned to my room.