I Tamed the Monstrous Prince - Chapter 53
Chapter 53
‘Hello, my lady.’
I bowed, greeting the noble Duchess. A brief silence, then approaching footsteps. She gripped my chin, turning my head this way and that, before coldly stating,
‘You have the same eyes as your vulgar mother.’
Of course. Celestina wouldn’t welcome me, the living proof of her husband’s infidelity. But her scornful gaze and humiliating words were trivial.
Celestina assigned a strict governess. I was astonished, not just food and shelter, but an education befitting a lady.
‘The young lady, baseborn and accustomed to begging, must have her vulgar nature completely reformed.’
I embraced it. I assumed they’d taken me in as a servant, out of pity. I fell into a simple trap.
‘Perhaps they truly see me as a daughter.’
I gave my all, striving to become a proper lady, a daughter worthy of the house. Soon, with the governess’s approval, I joined Giovinetta, the eldest, and Bernadetta, the youngest, in advanced studies: court etiquette, refined speech, history, foreign languages, mathematics, geometry, painting, music… I didn’t understand why a bastard like me received such privileges. I didn’t know they were grooming me for the cursed monster prince.
Then came the accident, leaving me with a limp. Dancing, riding, such activities became impossible. I could only watch Giovinetta, resigned. Such things weren’t meant for me. That’s what I thought. My resignation extended to marriage. I vaguely assumed I’d marry whomever my stepmother chose. I just hadn’t known it would be the royal family. I never imagined I’d be dancing with a prince, in front of everyone.
“Ren?”
Cesar peered down at me, his furrowed brows pleading.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I stroked his hair reassuringly, drawing comfort from the soft fur and the way it nestled between my fingers.
“Not yet…”
The ball was still three months away. Dancing wasn’t the only hurdle. There were so many immediate obstacles; worrying about the distant future was pointless. “It’ll… be alright.”
My reassurance lacked conviction. A heavy feeling weighed on my chest, suffocating me. I forced a cheerful tone. There had to be a solution, even if I hadn’t found it yet. “Cesar?”
“Yes?”
“Shall we go and eat?” We’d been cooped up for days; he must be hungry. He stared at me, then nodded vigorously.
Sitting on the floor for so long made standing difficult. As I struggled to regain my footing, I felt hands beneath my arms, and my body lifted into the air. Cesar had scooped me up.
“Eek!” My involuntary shriek drew attention from outside. “Is everything alright?”
The guards knocked. I tried to answer, but another lurch upwards, as Cesar shifted his grip, sent a wave of dizziness through me. He’d lifted me higher, cradling me in his arms.
“Put me down!”
I’d never been carried like this, not even by Annalisa. I was small, but this was ridiculous. I was being treated like a sack of potatoes. Thinking something was amiss, the guards finally entered, Mersedes leading the way. “Your Highness?”
