CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 101: Caged Her Heart

Dukes Salvador came into the room. He could sense Princess Cassandra’s mood who was standing near the window opposite to him.

Aiden didn’t know how to call out the Princess. His mind was chaotic in the situation. Many things have happened so far and Duke Salvador was still unable to understand them all.

Aiden took a step forward towards the fifth princess with a smile on his face. He extended his hand to touch her shoulders but soon Lord Bentham’s words echoed in his mind.

’She has to be saved from you too.’

’You will be a threat to her.’

Aiden’s eyes sharpened with the words that Lord Bentham had said.

’How can Achard have such thoughts?’

’Why would he think that I would hurt the fifth Princess?’

’I will never be a threat to her.’

’I can never be.’

Aiden took a deep breath to control his shaking heart. He closed his eyes and controlled his feelings before calling out the fifth princess. "Princess ..."

Cassandra was in thought. Many things had happened that she herself did not understand. But she could remove it from her head.

Cassandra turned when she heard a voice. "Ed, you are here."

Aiden smiled looking at the glittering eyes of the fifth princess. He extended his hands towards the mask covering his face.

"Don’t remove it," Cassandra said in a panic tone. Her hands only onto Aiden’s. "She is nearby. I don’t know when she might come. She doesn’t even need any approval before entering."

Aiden knew who they were talking about. Princess Teimei. Duke Salvador did not say anything about this. He felt like it was not his place to talk. It was very clear to him that the Vivere Kingdom’s people are here to take Lord Bentham and the fifth princess away with them.

Duke Salvador decided to keep the Vivere Kingdom’s matter at the back of his mind. He smiled as he put his hand down again.

Princess Cassandra realized what she had done. She removed her hand in panic as she took a step back.

"That..." Cassandra tried to say but she could not come up with a full sentence.

A shy smile played on her but Cassandra caged her heart.

Cassandra knew that it was not the right time to show such emotions. The seriousness came back as Princess Cassandra’s eyes sharpened. "I need to tell you something."

Duke Salvador could hear the seriousness in the fifth Princess’s tone.

’What else does she want to tell me?’ Aiden wondered.

Lord Bentham’s words were still fresh in his mind. Aiden knew that he could not trust the Viver Kingdom’s people. They wanted to take the fifth Princess away, but he also knew that the things that the Princess might tell him would be much more complicated.

’I have to think properly about what I will be doing from now on.’

’The situation is getting complicated by the day.’

’If I want to protect her I have to get her trust.’

’Cassandra is my top priority now.’

Aiden’s thoughts were running wild. He looked at the princess but did not reply. He smiled as an acknowledgment hoping that Princess Cassandra would understand his unsaid words.

Princess Cassandra took the silence as acceptance and she continued with her story. Cassandra’s gaze was dazzled. "Did you know about it? You did? Right? About the first Princess powers?"

Aiden walked towards the fifth princess as he stood beside her. "I had no idea. If I would have known, would the situation not have escalated?"

Princess Cassandra nodded her head as her eyes blurred. "I know." She murmured. "I don’t know where it all went wrong. Till the day she was punished Princess Valeria had no such powers and now suddenly she is claiming the throne. Don’t you think it was odd?" Princess Cassandra asked.

Princess Cassandra looked up at the man. She stared into his eyes. Cassandra swallowed. It was hard for her to believe that the man who stood in front of her as ’Ed’ with a mild gaze was actually ’Duke Salvador.’

It was as if there was a change in personality with a change of single cloth. But Princess Cassandra now understood that Duke Salvador never wanted to hurt her. Although the man came out as a strong, powerful, and ruthless leader, yet he also knew how to protect.

After what Lord Bentham had done with her, Princess Cassandra felt like she needed protection from the man.

’But if one wants something then they have to give something in return as well.’

’If Duke Salvador provides me the protection I need then I have to be completely honest with him.’

’I have to trust the Duke.’

Princess Cassandra made up her mind as she turned to face Aiden.

"Amy told me something last night and I think that it is connected to the first Princess."

Aiden narrowed his eyes as he nodded his head. "You can tell me, anything Princess." Aiden smiled as he continued. "We can tell each other things. We are friends."

Cassandra nodded her head. "Yes, we can tell each other anything. That’s why I wanted to tell you that something is not right. Amy had gone into the forest to do her training. But when she was coming back she lost her way and went to the outer palace where the first princess was held." Cassandra looked at Aiden through her lashes to see his expression.

But Duke Salvador raised his eyebrows, indicating the fifth Princess to continue. "She saw someone, a man that had something shining in his hands. Crystals." Cassandra swallowed as she continued. "But they were not covered in one color as you saw. The crystal had four colors in it indicating the four elements."

Cassandra stopped as her eyes shook. She could not understand it initially but now when she has seen everything she understood it very well. Crystals were the source of power. Princess Cassandra was a little lost, but now she understood.

Cassandra looked up at the Duke and said in a low tone. "I think the first Princess is claiming the throne using those crystals."

Duke Salvador’s aura became stronger.

He knew that if what the fifth Princess was telling was the truth then the royal family was playing with the hearts and beliefs of the people that had stood up for centuries.

"Are you sure about it?" Duke Salvador asked in a soft tone. He was thinking of the consequences the people will face when the first princess becomes the emperor.

’Won’t it be playing with the emotions of the people then?’

’How can the royal family be so insensitive on the subject?’

"I am sure about it. I heard her thoughts." Princess Cassandra said in a soft tone. Her eyes shivered with the thought like it was happening before her sight. Her eyes were lowered as her voice turned into a whisper. "Princess Valeria said something along the lines that the crystals given by the secretary did not disappoint her."

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed but she could not tell it at that moment she was seeing reality or an illusion.

Cassandra looked at Duke Salvador who did not reply. "What are you thinking?" Cassandra asked in a small voice.

"I’m thinking about the possibility of you being right." Duke Salvador replied without giving it any thought. "After what had happened in the ballroom, people already considered her the next heir. I am sure the rumors and gossip might have traveled to the citizens by now."

Duke Salvador saw Cassandra being quiet as he smiled. "I am not doubting you. I am just thinking about how the royal families have played with citizens’ emotions. You know what Elvira’s people believe, right? They believed that the royal family was the true heir to the throne. They are the savior of the people in case any danger comes."

Aiden thought about the situation seriously. The royal family has always pushed the Vivere Kingdom’s people away just because of the fact that they were unlike them. They did not use the four elements.

"But what if they are wrong?" Cassandra said as her eyes blinked in excitement. "I personally feel that what the royal family has been doing is not right. They do not know half of the things and yet they claim that they know everything."

Princess Cassandra’s voice shook as if she was talking about the deep feelings buried in her heart. "I know half of the people think that the royal family is the one protecting them for centuries. But what if all the beliefs were made up or else constructed."

Duke Salvador’s eyes widened. Lord Bentham has said the same words to him.

’But then what is the truth?’

’What’s the real truth about the VivereKingdom?’

’Did the royal family manipulate everyone?’

Many questions roamed Aiden’s mind and yet there were no answers.

’I have to go there and see it for myself.’

’I cannot believe Achard’s words alone.’

’He might be right that the Vivere Kingdom has the actual prophecy written about the royal family but Achard also told me to stay away from Princess Cassandra.’

’He even said that I might be a threat to the princess.’

Dude Salvatore looked at the princess. He covered his true emotions with a smile. "What do you want to do next?" Duke Salvador asked in a soft tone