To Live & Conquer [under revision for wattys]

Prologue

"Princess Athanasia, would you like to go for a walk?"

I turned my head around, seeing that it was Lily. I smiled softly, "No, there is no need." I took a sip from my cup of milk.

"I'd prefer it if Lily would play with me instead!" I beamed, getting down from my chair and hugging her.

She gasped, a bit surprised and hugged me back. I mean, who else could resist a five year old such as me? I was the epitome of innocence and adorableness.

"Then, let's get you some coloring materials, hm?" She pulled away from the hug, cupping my cheeks lovingly.

I love Lily; she's the mother I've never had. Both in the real world and this one.

"Yes please!" I replied, giggling.

Lily left me in my room. I took a seat on my favorite chair that had velvet cushions. I need to recollect my thoughts.

I'm 'supposedly' Athanasia, the so-called 'Princess' in a popular novel entitled "The Lovely Princess"

It was a hit back home; each and every student in my university loved it. I was surprised; these guys were adults.

What was so enticing about some fairy tale novel?

i didn't know but, my friend somehow managed to convince me otherwise. She lend me her book, and I decided to read it. Surely, I wasn't a sucker for all that princess stuff, but I guess it wasn't half as bad. Kinda cliché. But anyway, I managed to finish it.

I fell asleep with the book beside me, and poof.

I wake up and I realize that I'm a new born baby again. Trust me, I literally freaked out. It's been five years since I've magically teleported here as the Princess who had a shitty ending, and I hated it.

I don't even know what I did for me to be brought here; I didn't even die for me to reincarnate. So, what was the reason behind all this?

I sighed, leaning back on my chair.

Just a few years ago, I was a normal 20 year old university student and now?

I'm a god damn princess. I tried to wake up; I really did. But no matter what, I can't escape. I have yet to find an answer. My life in the real world was shitty; having both parents being too busy to attend to my needs, leaving me with maids. They were business partners, too obsessed with money. I think they had me for the sake of their lineage, and not for love. Not that I didn't mind, though. I wanted to be successful myself. But all of that was ruined when I came here to this shitty world.

"Princess!" Lily entered the room; a set of crayons and a few pieces of paper at hand. She set them down on the table in front of me, smiling. "Here, let me help," she offered, extending a crayon for me to get. I grabbed the crayon from her hand and joined her in drawing.

I thought to myself. What the heck was I even supposed to draw? A unicorn? A donkey? Shrek? I don't know. "Don't know what to draw?" She asked me.

I pouted, slumping my shoulders. "Yeah, help me?"

At that, Lily laughed and ruffled my hair softly. "Well, why don't you try drawing your dreams?" She suggested.

My dreams? For the future? I brought down the crayon for a moment, putting a hand on my chin. What did I even plan for the future? Will I be back to my normal self in the future? I certainly hope so.

But that's not the case; Lily's expecting something from a five year old princess, not some young adult undergraduate.

Think, Athy, think.

There was a few seconds of silence. But, I managed to make up my mind. I grabbed the crayon again and started scribbling. Damn my shitty drawing skills, both here and the real world. My hair looked like cup noodles and my gown looked like whip cream.

But it was worth the shot, I suppose. A few minutes after, I finished the drawing (I even added some shadowing here and there) and I showed it to Lily with bright eyes.

"Look!" I brought the paper up to my hands, pointing to the 'older' version of myself in the picture. "See that, Lily? I'm wearing a crown!" I beamed and pointed at the puffy dress. The background was a huge castle.

(I tried to make it look like DIsneyland) and me in the middle, with a crown and a sword at hand. I drew a couple of knights on both my sides.

Lily nodded, laughing a bit. "I'm going to be a queen— wait, or empress? I don't know! But, I'll be the strongest in the whole empire! And you—" I paused, pointing to Lily, who was beside me in the drawing.

"You'll be there with me. And we can both eat all of the chocolate!" At that, I let go of my drawing and hugged her tightly.

She hugged back and I swear I could hear her trying to hide her sob. Don't worry, Lily. I know that you'll remain faithful to Athy here, and you deserve a bright future.

"Thank you, princess." She whispered and combed my hair. "I know that your dream will come true," she reassured me.

"Really?" I asked her, looking up with hopeful eyes.

Lily nodded, "Of course! Your father will be proud to call you an heir."

Father?

At that word alone, I cringed. But I hid it. I just hugged her again. Of course, having read the novel, I know how Claude can be. He was a good Emperor, sure. But the blood stained all over his hands and his killing spree? No. I hated that. I hate it so much. I hate how Jennette managed to pierce through his heart so easily, making him forget his love for killing. That was so damn unrealistic. The typical 'I changed a bad boy's heart' but make it family.

I've read a lot of those stories, and god— why must men need women for them to change? Why do they treat women like some sort of, I dunno, therapy session for them to change their ways? Fuck that; Claude won't change. He never will. That's what I learned from men in my life. In the end, he died in the hands of Jennette. That's why I'll never vouch for either of them, I'll make my own name and be my own woman.

Shrugging off my thoughts, I went back to Lily. "You think so? Because I'll do my best to be the Empress!" And damn, I will do my best. I won't let myself die in the hands of Claude, or anyone else for that matter. I don't care if I'm changing the plot, I'll write my own ending and deem myself worthy to be called a princess.

Preview on Next Chapter

"Swordmanship? A princess?!" -Lily

"I'll be my own woman." -Athanasia

"But Your Majesty..." -Felix