"Sandra... Have you eaten well?" Aqualina asked gently, her voice carrying the warmth of a mother's unwavering love. She gazed at her blind daughter, who sat quietly on the bed.
The girl's purple hair shimmered faintly in the light, and her misty, sightless purple eyes shifted slightly toward the familiar voice, "Yes, Mom," she answered, her tone calm but distant as if she were lost in her own world.
Aqualina smiled softly, patting Sandra's shoulder with a comforting touch. "Good. Let's get you outside for some fresh air." She carefully guided her daughter to the restroom, helping her with tender care before leading her into the garden, where the scent of blooming flowers mixed with the crispness of the morning air.
They walked slowly along the stone paths.
Aqualina's heart ached as she noticed the servants and courtiers who once bowed respectfully now barely acknowledged her presence. Their indifferent stares were a stark reminder of her fall from grace. She was no longer the revered Empress but a fading shadow of what she once was, reduced to a symbol of pity after Sandra's birth.
Her daughter's blindness sealed their fate. Without the ability to see, Sandra's future in the empire was grim. Aqualina knew the rules of royalty all too well. If Sandra didn't display any talent soon, their lives would spiral into suffering.... Hellish one especially in Palace!
Yet...
Sandra showed no signs of talent.... The Blank Arcane Card.
No aptitude, a rare and unfortunate state happened to her Only Daughter.
Aqualina's hope dwindled with each passing day. Meanwhile, the other woman—her husband's second wife—slowly entrenched herself in the empire's power. Her smug, satisfied grin was a constant reminder of Aqualina's fading influence.
Yet, Aqualina refused to give up entirely. She understood the ruthless nature of the court. Without power or skill, they would suffer.
Sandra's only chance of survival lay in awakening her latent bloodline ability. If that miracle didn't happen, their fate was sealed—ridicule, suffering, and eventually, death!!
A sudden, sharp voice cut through the air, shattering Aqualina's thoughts.
"Yes, darling! Show your father how strong you are! You're doing great!"
Aqualina's eyes snapped toward the source. There she was—the other woman—standing proudly beside her daughter in the courtyard, her voice brimming with pride.
Aqualina's gaze fell on the small chestnut brown-haired girl. She was about six, nearly Sandra's age, but everything about her screamed superiority.
"What's little sister doing, Mom?" Sandra asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
Aqualina tightened her grip on Sandra's hand but forced a gentle smile. "She's training with her mother, sweetheart."
"Oh? Can I go play with her?" Sandra's voice was innocent, eager, and unaware of the underlying tension.
Aqualina hesitated... She didn't want Sandra near them, but she couldn't bear to crush her daughter's enthusiasm. After a brief pause, she nodded, "Alright, but stay close to me, okay?"
As they approached, the other woman noticed them. Her expression twisted into a frown. Leaning down, she whispered something into her child's ear.
The child, indifferent eyes locked onto them. Without a word, she notched an arrow onto her bow and aimed it directly at Aqualina.
Whoosh!
Aqualina's instincts flared. Her eyes widened as she caught the arrow mid-air, the sharp tip grazing her palm
Thwack!
Blood dripped from her hand, staining the ground beneath them.
"M-Mom? What's that sound?" Sandra asked, her face tilting toward the noise, her blind eyes filled with concern.
Aqualina gritted her teeth, suppressing a groan as she yanked the arrow from her hand. Forcing a smile, she said, "N-Nothing, dear... everything's fine." Her glare shifted from the child to the woman, burning with silent fury.
The woman smirked, her tone dripping with mockery. "Oh dear! Should've been more careful, Marisandra. Didn't see that coming? Oh, wait... Haha, of course, she couldn't see it. Poor child. Such a pity. Must be hard having a mother whose greed cursed her child. So tragic. Sob, sob."
Aqualina clenched her fists, her nails digging into her wounded palm. She took a step forward, her body trembling with restrained rage, but the guards swiftly moved between them.
Aqualina exhaled sharply, her anger simmering beneath the surface, "Sandra, we'll play another time," she said softly, turning to guide her daughter away. She cast a final, venomous glare at the woman before her gaze flicked to the little girl's cold, indifferent stare.
That child's name was Celestia.
Celestia was everything Sandra was not. She was born with a Golden Arcane Card, brimming with talent and gifts. At such a young age, she had already awakened her bloodline ability, making her a perfect candidate for the throne.
Yet, despite all her potential, Aqualina couldn't help but pity the girl.
Celestia's bloodline ability stripped her of emotions. She felt nothing—no love, no joy, no anger. Even as she stared at Sandra, the sister she had just attacked, her expression remained cold and indifferent....Even towards her own mother, she remained detached.
Celestia was the ideal puppet, emotionless and obedient, moulded for the throne!!... just for her mother!
As Sandra walked away with her mother, Celestia's gaze remained indifferent. She had just shot an arrow at her older sister, yet she felt... nothing. She didn't feel anything like anger or guilt.. she was just plain as ever.
"Now, kill that bird," her mother ordered.
Without hesitation, Celestia raised her bow, her expression blank as she obeyed.
Days turned into weeks, and Aqualina's situation spiralled further into despair.
The man she had once married hadn't so much as glanced her way since Sandra's birth. He refused to acknowledge their daughter, dismissing her with cold indifference.
"She's not worth much," he'd say, his words cutting deeper than any blade.
The only reason she and Sandra remained in the palace was because of their shared bloodline. He couldn't bear the idea of his blood being tainted by outsiders, yet he showed them no love, no protection—nothing but disdain.
Aqualina was now the palace's pariah. Once revered, she was now regarded as useless, a fallen queen!!
The once-loyal servants vanished, and the second woman, the one who had usurped Aqualina's position, delighted in making her life unbearable.
No servants. No guards. Even her own family abandoned her when she needed them most.
"Of course," she muttered bitterly one night, cradling her sleeping daughter. "What else should I expect from a family that sold me off to climb the social ladder?" Her voice trembled with suppressed rage, her fingers brushing Sandra's soft hair.
She glanced at Sandra, her daughter sleeping peacefully beside her, blissfully unaware of the cruel world around her.
"That vile woman... she's bought everyone," Aqualina whispered, her nails digging into her palm.
Everyone feared supporting her. A blind daughter was a curse, a mark of shame. No one dared risk their standing for a lost cause.
But the second wife wasn't satisfied with mere humiliation.
She wanted Aqualina crushed beneath her heel.
One fateful day, she crossed the final line.
"You should end her, Your Majesty," the second woman declared, standing before the Emperor, her expression calm but her eyes gleaming with malice. "End that pitiful child's life."
"W-What?" Aqualina gasped, her heart pounding. She stood frozen, barely comprehending what she had just heard.
The second woman's lips curled into a sly grin and said with sympathy, "Have you not seen how much she suffers? Blind, helpless... she couldn't even dress herself without assistance and even more she needed her mother to go restroom... She can't function as a royal. And the rumours... oh, they're spreading. People are questioning His Majesty's judgment. Our empire's reputation is crumbling because of that child. They whisper about incompetence—"
"Enough," the Emperor cut her off, his brow furrowed.
The woman bowed her head, her tone now soft and sorrowful. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but it's not just whispers within the palace. Other empires are mocking us. They call you weak, and I... I can't bear to hear them insult you." Her voice broke, tears glistening in her eyes as she clutched her chest dramatically.
The Emperor's expression grew thoughtful. He seemed to be considering her words.
Aqualina's heart raced to see this, She stepped forward, desperation etched on her face. "W-Wait! Please, there's no need for that! If it bothers you so much, I'll leave. I'll take Sandra far away, and we'll live in exile. Just... please don't kill her! She's innocent!"
The Emperor's eyes flickered with hesitation... he knew the royalty image would really damaged because of her that's why he didn't even care to see her because she was not worthy.... He thought of everything before he nodded and said with a stern voice,
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"Well then—"