Chapter 31: A Warrior Princess’s Great Escape (and Downfall)

Chapter 31: A Warrior Princess’s Great Escape (and Downfall) I was already regretting my evil plan to tease Papa. Yes, it had backfired on me spectacularly. And like a defeated warrior on the battlefield, I accepted my fate with a heavy heart. The journey to the bedroom was eerily silent. Normally, at this time every day, I’d be running around the palace like a criminal, demanding snacks from Nanny, or playing in the mud in the garden. But today? Today, I was a captive. My crime? Mischief. My punishment? Bedtime. Papa strode into his chambers with all the authority of a man who owned the entire kingdom (which, technically, he did). His heavy boots made that ominous thud against the polished floor—the sound of doom. Then, without a word, he placed me on the massive imperial bed. "Stay here," he ordered firmly, his piercing gaze holding no room for negotiation. I nodded. Like a good little daughter. Like the perfect, obedient offspring of Cassius Devereux. (For now.) Then, to my utter confusion, he pulled something from his belt and handed it to me. "Play with this." I blinked. Stared. Blinked again. It was a tiny wooden sword. I glanced up at him, waiting for the punchline. Surely, he was joking. Any second now, he’d pull out a cute stuffed bunny, a doll, or literally anything remotely suitable for a delicate two-year-old girl. Nope. Papa just crossed his arms and looked at me like I was the weird one. "What?" he said, then continued, "You are not allowed to go out." Ugh... "But—" "No, but." Oh, c’mon. I just wanted to ask why he gave me a sword. Was he preparing me to conquer neighboring kingdoms already? Should I start drafting my royal battle strategies? Maybe send a carrier pigeon to announce my impending reign of terror? I mean... at least give me a doll or— Then I sighed dramatically. Who was I kidding? This was fine. This was expected. I should’ve known that in this household, "cute toys" meant "weapons of war." Fine. If this was my destiny, then so be it. I would embrace it. With a theatrical sigh of acceptance, I flopped onto my belly and swung my tiny sword around aimlessly, preparing for battle. (My enemy: boredom.) I am now, Slashing at imaginary enemies, fending off invisible dragons, and taking down entire armies—all from the comfort of Papa’s luxurious bed. I was a warrior princess now. Papa smirked and Just then, a maid entered, and Papa said, "Prepare the bath." He then walked into the bathroom, leaving me alone with my new noble weapon. And as time passed... I started enjoying it. Slowly, as I swung the sword and slashed at imaginary dragons, I started to have fun. Then, I stood on the bed, raising my tiny sword toward the ceiling. "I am the mighty Princess Lavinia!" I declared. "No evil shall prevail in my kingdom!" I slashed the air, cutting it in half, and jumped on the mattress, bouncing slightly, waving my sword. "Bow before me, for I am the greatest—" A deep voice interrupted my grand speech. "What are you doing?" I froze mid-swing and turned my head ever so slowly. Papa stood there, fresh from his bath, a towel draped over his shoulders as he wiped his wet hair. His piercing gaze locked onto me like he was the most dangerous person in the room. (Which was ridiculous because obviously, that title belonged to him.) But I was a warrior princess! I couldn’t let mere intimidation break me! So, gathering all my courage, I pointed my tiny sword directly at him. "Bow to the princess!" I declared in my most regal voice. The room fell silent. Papa arched an eyebrow. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, stared me down with the weight of a thousand unspoken words. His gaze was intimidating, urging me to back off. But I was the princess, the daughter of the tyrant-y emperor. Then, he smirked, continuing to dry his hair lazily. "Did you forget?" he said, his voice smooth and deep. "I am the Emperor." He leaned in slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "And princesses bow to the Emperor." Oh, no. I gulped. Fine, this was a battle I could not win. And so, like a true warrior who knew when to retreat, I slowly lowered my sword... and flopped face-first onto the bed. Papa smirked, then lay beside me and tucked me inside the blanket. With his big hand, he rubbed my cheek gently and asked, "Now, do you know who I am?" UGH. Why was he asking again? But then I looked at him. His eyes were still cold, but I felt something else behind them. He looked... hurt. Was it because I had pretended not to recognize him earlier? Fine...I mean, I cannot tease my papa for long, right? So... "...Papa," I mumbled softly. His eyes widened slightly before he smiled gently and pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. "That’s right. I am your Papa, and you shouldn’t forget that." *** I thought that would be the end of it. That he’d let me go, let me be free to run around the palace, chase butterflies, eat snacks, and live my best two-year-old life. But no. I was wrong. Papa always proves me wrong. Because I am here, sitting on the royal couch in Papa’s grand office, abandoned like an unwanted kitten. I pouted, kicking my legs in frustration while eating the cakes placed before me. Across the room, Papa sat at his massive desk, buried under an avalanche of documents. The pile was so high that only his head and broad shoulders were visible. His brows were furrowed, and his expression screamed one thing—annoyance. I was annoyed too. Why did I have to sit here while he worked? I sighed dramatically and stuffed another piece of cake into my mouth, watching as Theon read through some documents. "Your Majesty," Theon started, his tone calm yet serious. "While you were away in the western provinces, many noble families took the liberty of embezzling funds from the treasury." Papa didn’t even look up. He simply exhaled slowly through his nose, his fingers pressing against his temple. Theon continued, "Some even imposed higher taxes on their territory without permission." Looks like some nobles started behaving like they owned the country while Papa was away. "I was gone for eight months, and they already think they can do whatever they want?" Papa said, complete annoyance dripping from his voice. I watched as Papa leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the wooden surface of his desk. Then, he spoke in the same casual tone one might use when deciding what to have for dinner. "Just kill them." Silence. Theon didn’t even blink, as if such orders were a normal part of his daily routine. He simply nodded. "Understood. Shall I arrange for the usual measures, or would you like to make an example of them?" I, on the other hand, was already used to all this. It wasn’t a new thing for me to know that my Papa was a tyrant! After all, he was the man who ruled with an iron fist. Still, casually ordering executions in front of his two-year-old daughter? Wasn’t this too much?! ...Well, he did take me to an execution ground when I was three months old, so maybe not. Papa sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Start with the worst offenders. Public executions for those who defied imperial law outright. The rest... make them regret their actions." Theon gave a slight bow. "As you wish, Your Majesty," and walked out of the office. As for me, I silently buried myself deeper into the couch. Not because I was disturbed—please, I was used to my Papa’s extreme methods—but because I was bored. Then, my eyes landed on Papa, still buried under his documents. And Theon was gone. I looked around. This... this was my great chance to escape. So, I slowly, without making a sound, got down from the couch and tiptoed toward the door. My tiny feet barely made a sound against the polished floor. I was like a ghost, a shadow, an unstoppable force of stealth! I reached the door, placing my little hand on the handle. Just one push, and I was free! Before opening the door, I glanced back at Papa. Still busy. Alright... LET’S GO AND PLAY! I turned the handle as quietly as possible, my heart pounding with excitement. Freedom was just one step away and... YES! I successfully stepped out of the office. "Yeah~~~" But just as I was about to make a run for the garden, I spotted Nanny and Marella walking toward the office, carrying trays filled with more snacks and drinks. Oh no. If they saw me, they would surely drag me back inside and imprison me on that wretched couch again! My glorious escape would be cut short! So, like a true fugitive, I spun around and darted in the opposite direction, my little feet carrying me as fast as they could. I ran, ran, and ran... until I finally reached a different part of the royal garden. I stopped to catch my breath, stretching my arms toward the sky. "YEAH... FREEDOM!!" With a triumphant laugh, I flopped onto the grass, rolling around without a care in the world. I chased butterflies, played with fallen petals, and even tried to catch a tiny frog (which unfortunately jumped away before I could hold it). Everything was perfect... until... "WHERE AM I?" I blinked, looking around. This place... this wasn’t the garden I usually played in. Sure, I knew our palace was massive—ridiculously huge, to be honest—but I’d lived here for two years now! And yet, somehow, I had managed to get completely lost?! Feeling both intrigued and a little nervous, I wandered deeper into the unfamiliar area. Then, my eyes landed on something unexpected. "A pond?" Woahhhhhh. I tilted my head in awe. We have a pond in our palace? Why didn’t I know this before? This was a major discovery! Excited, I skipped forward, enchanted by the way the water sparkled under the sun. It was so beautiful, so calm, so—I crouched down and dipped my tiny fingers into the water. "Cold." Fascinated, I leaned in a little closer, watching the ripples dance on the surface. Then a little closer... And closer... And then, I tripped and— SPLASH! "BLUB?!?!" The world turned upside down as the icy water swallowed me whole. Wait. Wait. Wait. Did I just— Panic surged through me as the coldness wrapped around my tiny body like an unforgiving embrace. My arms flailed, my legs kicked wildly, but the water was heavy, pulling me down, down, down. I tried to scream, but only bubbles escaped. No! No! This can’t be happening! I—I just wanted to play! I just wanted freedom! Someone...save me. Papa! Papa was going to be so mad if he found out I left the office. He must be looking for me. Everyone must be looking for me. But—b-but what if no one found out? What if no one even came looking for me? I—I ran away. I snuck out. I was all alone. Would they even know I was here? Would Papa realize I was missing before it was too late? Would I— More bubbles. More sinking. The blue sky above blurred, getting farther and farther away. I—I don’t want to drown! I don’t want to— And then, darkness crept in from the edges of my vision, and the last thing I saw before everything faded was the peaceful blue sky above, completely unaware that I had just fallen to her watery doom.