The Emperor's Unfavored Empress

Chapter 2 Cassiopeia: Facing the King and Queen

"I can't believe you're a Princess, Cassiopeia!" Lin exclaimed as she looked around the kingdom. Amazed by the beauty of the place, Lin couldn't believe her eyes as she looked around.

"I have no idea, either," I whispered. I can't believe that transmigration is a real thing. My mind was in a fog and I wasn't sure about much of anything, but there was one thing I knew: this body's owner had the same name as mine.

"I had no idea! I thought all those rumors about you were just that, rumors! You're a Princess?!" Lin exclaimed again. Suddenly, flashes of memory came right through me. I saw a woman and a child walking out of the palace on a cold winter night as the King watched them.

"It's a long story, but I've been living here since I was a child. I'm an exile from my kingdom, and the tribe is the only place that accepted my Mother and me." I answered as I walked beside her. As we passed through the high walls of the Cassiana Kingdom, I got a sudden rush of my worst memory—the betrayal of my best friend and boyfriend. It still pains me daily to think about how I was betrayed by someone I trusted with everything that I had, and it was so hard to go through the pain at a time when I needed them most.

"Alexis?" I exclaimed when I saw my long-time boyfriend lying on top of my best friend, Antonette.

I could see the panic in her eyes before I heard her say, "You have no right to be here."

"I thought you were on your way to work—" Alexis said.

"You fooled me. You cheated on me after everything I did for you," I said, full of resentment.

"Cassie, you never seem to have time for me—"

"How could you say that? You know I have to work for the both of us because you don't have a job, right?" I dropped my bag on the bed while Antonette was getting dressed.

"That's it, that's not enough. I also have a need and one more thing: It's been two years, but nothing is happening to us—"

"I thought we agreed on that! I thought it was fine with you?" I shouted in anger and then said, "I can't believe that's all you're giving me, Alexis," as I snorted. "And you," I turned to my treacherous friend and faced her, saying, "How could you do this to me?" Antonette, I thought we were friends." For once, she didn't give any reply. Nor could I see any concern in her expression or remorse on her face. "Antonette!" I shouted.

She stood up and adjusted his clothes, and fixed her hair. She approached me. "You're wrong, Cassie." I frowned, "Alexis has been my boyfriend for six years. You are stupid because you let us fool you." I felt agitated and betrayed when I discovered they lied to me. The memories of all the times they were together while I was at work filled my mind. "Yes, Cassie. Whenever you're not around, I did it with Alexis at your house," she said as if she were answering the questions, I had in mind.

I took a step back for every stride Antonette made toward me until she managed to corner me against the terrace's railing.

"Now that you've learned about our secret, there's no point in letting you live." My eyes widened, and I started to panic. I leaned against the railing that lined the balcony of our condo unit. I felt the poking metal against my waist and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion as to why it seemed someone had deliberately damaged the railing.

"Alexis," I said in a low voice as I reached out my hand to the man I thought loved me. He reached for my hand, grabbed me by the neck and pushed me towards the broken rail, causing me to fall from the 15th floor of the building. That's when I realized that they had everything planned all along.

It didn't take long to snap out of my thoughts when the massive palace doors opened before me. I was stunned to see the King and Queen standing right before us. As I walked towards them, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head that felt like something was poking it, but it didn't linger long and I quickly shook it off.

"What is this? Are these your memories?" I asked myself, addressing the real owner of the body.

"Cassiopeia, are you all right?" Lin asked me. The King was looking at the other side of the room, and no one was paying attention to me.

"I'm fine," I said, but my voice shook slightly.

The Queen looked me up and down as we got closer to one another. Judging by the expression on her face, she did not like what she saw. So this is the worthless man who is Cassiopeia's Father and exiled her Mother, the former Queen, for this witch who looks like a corpse. I responded with a sarcastic expression to the Queen sarcastic expression. His forehead furrowed.

"So, what do you need from me?" I asked.

The King automatically looked at me and, without a word, demanded that I bow my head. "You are in the presence of your King and Queen. Pay your respects!" He shouted. His voice echoed throughout the room, and at the same time, one of the soldiers hit me on the leg and forced me to my knees.

"Finally, my good father looked at me too." I grinned. I don't know much about them. I'm not the one who's been affected by what he's done to the real Cassiopeia. Yet, I feel all this anger in her heart. She must have hated her Father a lot.

"Insolent!" snorted the King.

"Oh, be careful, father, you're in the presence of a lowly thief!" I smirked. Lin secretly grabbed me.

"Theo, stop. Let her be. Please understand where she came from. We know what kind of life molded her." I can sense the mockery in her tone.

"You're too kind, Luciana!" Alas, the King is really old and has a bad eye that he can't see through the Queen.

"What does my dear Father need? Is there something you want us to steal, Your Majesty?" I said sarcastically,

"You will marry the 4th Prince, Cassiopeia." The King looked coldly at me, the same eyes he had shown my Mother the day he threw us out of the palace.

I automatically turned to Lin when she voluntarily knelt by my side with her hands shaking, "I'm sorry, Cassiopeia. But dear King, Cassiopeia should not be married to the 4th Prince. The Empire is very angry with our tribe and your kingdom might..."

"And who do you think you are to speak, Thief?" The King interrupted Lin, who was speaking. "Get her out of my sight!" he ordered the soldiers around us.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted. The King immediately raised his right hand to stop the soldiers from taking Lin.

The King stood before me and spoke, "You will marry the 4th prince if you don't want me to kill this friend of yours and the entire tribe." He stood up and sat on his throne. I was left dumbfounded. I can't sacrifice the tribe that shelters the owner of this body, especially Lin, who is willing to sacrifice himself for me.

"Alright, Luciana, get her ready to be sent to the Empire." said the King.

As we walked down the hallway, Lin kept nagging me. "Cassiopeia, why did you agree?" her voice was full of concern.

"You have to have heard about it. Our people are in grave danger and you cannot be without a tribe. What do you want?" I tried to keep my voice down so that the Queen, who was only a few feet away from us, wouldn't hear it.

"I am willing to die for you," she said. "die for me?" I was confused. "What about our tribe?" I began to pull back, but the Queen would see us and know we were plotting something." We can think about that later. I swear, Cassiopeia, it will be hell for you in the Empire." She motioned for me to come closer and offered her arm so we could walk together through the crowd. "Let us run."

"No," I said. Lin was taken aback.

"But why?" her forehead furrowed in confusion, "do you want to die in that empire?" she grunted.

"I think so— yes." I smiled. "You wanna die for me. Then let's die together in that Empire— with a purpose, of course." Lin's face lighted after hearing what I said.

"You're ready to die for me, hm?" I teased Lin. We started again rapidly, and Lin followed me as fast as she could.

The door opened and the women-led us inside. "Get the bride ready," the Queen said. A woman clad in a silver gown came out and walked toward us with a glistening smile.

"Oh, my Queen," the woman curtsied. "It is so wonderful to see you." The Queen glanced at me and then back at the woman.

"Cronasia, my Princess." the Queen said.

"Mother?" Said the lady. Her eyes fixated on mine, then she strode towards me before gazing up and down my body. Her eyebrow raised in mockery, "Worthy of the monster, I see," she snorted. Who is she calling a monster?

"Who are you?" I asked, not even hesitating. She placed her hands on her hips and seemed to be thinking for a moment.

"The name is Cronasia, Princess of Catiana," she said, causing my eyebrows to raise in confusion. I had never heard of her before. So she is the daughter of my Father— my half-sister.

"Hi Cassiopeia, it's been a while." A sly smile appeared on her face as she recognized me. I decided to stay silent, remembering the last time we met. "Thank you for taking my place. I really don't want to be married to that monster Prince," she added. So she was referring to the Prince!