章 3: Chapter 3

Nothing but darkness surrounded Annabel, yet despite that she didn't feel any pain. Clearly she had dead and this was the after life... At least it would be if it wasn't for all the sounds coming around her. "Would you shut up!?" Annabel come to shout as her eyes had opened up and she found herself looking towards where the nose had come from. Only to find two women, both for some reason wearing maid outfits(?). Both of the women were looking at Annabel with eyes open as wide as the ocean. They appeared to be in shock upon the sudden awakening of her, so much so that the water bowl one of them had in hand fell across the floor.

"Y-Your highness?" However, soon Annabel found herself confused as both women's eyes had tears swelling up in them eyes before they took off running hysterically, so much so that one of them actually ran into the door before leaving.

"What the hell was that about?" Annabel couldn't understnad the behaviour, but then came to remember what the maid looking women called her. "'Your highness?'" Which only made her more confused, though that was cut short as she began swinging her legs off the the bed. Oddly enough she wasn't feeling the pain from the stab wound. She hadn't noticed it as she found herself unable to touch the ground despite her legs hanging. Her feet were swollen and short for some reason. She had to jump down from the bed and looked down at her hands and feet that looked swollened. She didn't understand as she began walking over to a luxurious looking mirror that looked like it was surrounded by gold. Annabel reached the mirror to gasped in shock.

What was looking back at her wasn't an adult that possessed short jet black hair that sat over a tanned face and sharp brown eyes, but a child that didn't look more then eight years old. She possessed silver hair that would only happen if one bleached all the colour out they hair and dyed it. It was far longer than Annabel's as it was touching her backside with soft bangs falling over a pair of golden eyes. Like actual gold. The child was incredibly cute and that was coming from a woman who couldn't stand children and found them both ugly and irritating. However, what caught Annabel's attention was that she felt that the child look familiar for some reason. As she was trying to remember footsteps echoing loudly until the sound of slamming door opening. Needless to say it caused Annabel's head to shot around. "Wha...?" However, upon looking around her new golden eyes widen in complete shock at the person that caused the large sound. They were a young handsome man that possessed the same colour hair and eyes. He was completely out of breath as he was standing with his arms stretched out from opening the doors. However, when she saw him... "Emperor Maximus?" It was in that moment that it hit her. The silver hair that moonstone shining brightly in light. The golden eyes that were more like the sun. A man know through out the empire at the God of War, covered in the blood of his enemies that dare to defy him.

"Cassy!" At least that was how he should be, but the man before her looked more like an idiot then that of the God of War. Annabel thought this due to his stupid looking grin and him on his knees before her. "Finally, my daughter has awoken." Before she could know what was happening, Annabel ended up being embraced by the man, who are sniffing as tears were falling down his cheeks due to bliss. However, once she had been the suddenness and the confusion completely disappeared for some reason. Almost like this was nothing unusual, despite never receiving such things growing up. It felt comfortable to Annabel.

The next day, Annabel learned that the owner of this body was called Cassandra, the only daughter of the Emperor, making her a princess and sole heiress to the throne. However, that wasn't right. The emperor didn't have any children, he didn't even have a wife despite all the woman from the different races throwing themselves at him. No mater how much she tried to think or remember, there was no such person in her dreams or novels. In fact, the series was about the hunt for an heir with the main protagonist being one of them.

This main protagonist name was Tylra Raizungu, a child born from one of the daughters belonging to the current head of the Raizungu House. The man possessed 10 daughters and 3 sons, born between six wives. Tylra's mother had been a very wild child and after coming of age for elves, she ran away from home due to hating her strict parents and wanting to live however she liked. There was no information on when, but some time after leaving she was caught by slave traders and a some time after that she died after giving birth to the main protagonist, Tylra. But being a beautiful slave there was no telling who had been the father as she was most likely used as sex slave. The only thing that one would be able to tell is that they father was a dragonoids due to Tylra's yellow eyes. Either way, he ended growing up as a slave. Slavery is illegal in this country, but of course that didn't stop people as there were unground auctions. The young man had been thirty-years-old when he was brought. As Tylra was born between an elf and a dragonoids, the age of thirty was that of a human child. When he grown older and took the form of an adult later in life he became a sex slave.

Currently from what Annebel gathered is was only year before Tylra would be sold, since it was the 5th day of the Pivraid, The Eternal Fire Month (January) 1023 Year belonging to the Imperial Calendar. The auction would take place in the 21st day of Brerdenth, The Warmheart Month (December) 1034 Year, in eleven years. It was going to be a large scale auction that was going to be taking place somewhere in Montcroix, the land of humans.

Annebel was deep in thought as she was remembering the novel. "What's wrong, Cassy?" Until She was pulled out from them upon her new name being called. Or at least her new nickname. Looking up from the food she had in front of her, Annebel only found the Emperor looking at her with concern. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine." Obviously he noticed her being deep in thought. At the moment, Annebel sat at a long dinning table that could sit twenty people. But it was just her and the Emporer with a large amount of food were front of them. Though it appeared that Annebel was doing most of the eating as she was being watched by the grinning ruler. Although, she couldn't help but notice the young man in a suit that looked too fancy for a servant standing behind the Emperor. He possess short black hair, and a pair of dark yellow that were watching the girl eating.

His dark yellow eyes were the traits belonging to the dragonoids. They're beings that had been descendants of the other races which were given the blood and blissing of a dragon, the Emperor. Because of this they have their race-like appearance with scales, wings, horn/s, and a tail. They are able to hide their dragonoids traits at will and while doing so appear as normal races, like human, Beastman, elves and ect. It's not the same as the Beastmen race since they only had two forms. However, they have different shades of yellow which were reflect the power and blood they possess.

So the man behind the Emperor was definitely from the Dragonoid race that was most likely less dragon blood. Thinking about it, Annebel remembered how the heir would be chosen. "Are you finish?" However, hearing the question caused the girl to nod and Maximus soon raised his arm. Not even a second later the servants began to remove the dish off the table. They were very efficient and quick, before long the table had been completely cleared with only the cloth remaining.

"Your Majesty..." The man that had been standing behind the Emperor leaned in and began to whisper something into his ear. Annebel couldn't help but noticed the slightly unpleasant look that he had gotten from listening.

"Daddy's sorry, Princess. But it looks like I have some work to take care of." That wouldn't be all that surprising as he was the ruler of the lands. In fact, the girl couldn't understand why he had been with her since morning to night till now for the past two days.

"Understood." She responded as the Emperor came to stand up smiling. Both him and the aid left the room, leaving Annebel in the room alone with the servants.

"Your Highness, would you like to return to your room or take a walk around the garden?" A maid came to her side asking extremely politely. Annebel noticed that it had been one of the maids which she spotted first upon waking up in this world.

The maid had been slim young woman of average height with straight, pale lavender hair set in a bowl cut-like style, with her fringe covering the left part of her forehead, and the right side exposed. She has also been seen sporting longer hair in other instances, with two bangs framing her face and her forehead being covered by her fringe. She had slight dark orange eyes, and a large, dark-colored ribbon adorning the top of her head. She was wearing a pair of simple glasses with oval lenses. Her hair and eyes had been proof that she was born of the Fae race. At least that was how Annebel remembered from her books and since she didn't possess yellow eyes.

Thinking about the question, the girl thought about it and she honestly didn't want to be stuck in the bedroom from another day. "The garden would be nice." She ended up replying without thinking.

"Y-Your Highness, you do not need to speak formerly to a mere servant." However, the way that Annebel spoke seemed to have caused her to feel uncomfortable.

"I see." It didn't surprise her since she watched and read books about these things before. But thinking about it now... the Emperor hadn't mentioned anything about her way of speech. It was clear that it wasn't that of a child and yet he didn't seem uncomfortable or suspicious. She couldn't understand why he was acting this was. It had began to make her uncomfortable.

At the same moment, the Emperor was sitting in a large fancy office with a huge amount of documents sitting in front of him. His aid was standing at the other side of the desk with a notebook in hand. "Send out invitations for a ball taking place in 2 month for the princess." But as he was about to write the aid came to a pause.

"Do you not think it is too soon, Your Majesty?" He seemed to be which panicked upon hearing this. "It's clear that she has yet to completely awoken yet." Only followed by him saying this odd statement.

"I know, but, if we don't then those bastards will act." The Emperor possessed an entire different demeanour then he had shown Annebel. His face had taken on a terrifying expression, on that was fitting of the man once called The God of War.