Chapter 1:

My name is Catalina Margrace, and I was many things.

I was a daughter to my father, a sibling to my four sisters and a two brothers, a friend to many friends, the master of a Rozarrian sheepdog, but most of all I was a princess of the Rozarrian Empire. Now I know what most of you are thinking. A princess is a high official, and she's not one to be valued. She has all the riches in the world and can get everything she wants in a whim. You are probably right about that. I most probably have all the riches in the empire, which I share among my other siblings, and I probably have the power to get everything I want in a whim. But riches and power are not the things that I truly value, for once, but I value my own pride and freedom. As a princess, your pride and freedom are bound to the law. Bound to the blood.

It is not easy to be a princess, I must confess. Hours of each day are scheduled for study, practice and etiquette classes. The only free time I have is from the hours of seven at night to seven in the morning, and it is barely enough for my extra-curricular activities. The activities that I engage in are painting and singing, and if there is some time to spare, I watch lords and ladies down at the Ambervale Square. But most of my free time was spent engaging in exciting discourses with my sisters and brothers. I was the eldest of the five daughters; barely seventeen years old.

My father, the Emperor Edelmiro XI, was the current head of the empire, and along with the help my eldest brother, Al-Cid Margrace, ruled Rozarria with much enthusiasm. Eight years had passed since the Great War between Archadia and Rozarria, but the aftermath of the war left a scar on our great nation. Fear was still evident in our people, and justice for those who had long since passed was greatly wanted. Edelmiro XI and Al-Cid did their best to keep the people at ease. Even though the Archadian Empire seemed to have lost the battle, the Rozarrian Empire did not win it either. The Dalmascan Resistance had intercepted our attack, our father had told us, and had struck a blow in the heart of the invasion. Nevertheless, we were glad that the war had finished. But older brother Al-Cid had said it has finished before it even began.

Our father had told us that even though the war had ended, there were still some petty quarrels between the nations of Archadia and Rozarria, and perhaps, even the small kingdoms in between them. These quarrels had lead to a difficulty in trade and communication. The Rozarrians needed Archadia's technology, and they needed our precious gems and metal ore. Al-Cid said that this could possibly spark another feud between the empires. My father, of course, agreed to that notion, and at once addressed a letter to Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor.

The respond had returned a couple of weeks. The letter from the Archadian emperor was long and expressed much remorse. He had talked of one of the many cases, in which seven Archadian nobles had been taken hostage after their airship had been hijacked. Emperor Larsa also expressed the need of open communication between the empires, and a plan that was suggested by his counselors.

"A political marriage?" I asked, shocked. "Father? Is that what they want?"

"Yes, Catalina," Edelmiro XI replied. "And this is exactly what you must do."

"F-father…my lord…my l-lord…" I said, dropping to my knees. "This cannot be! I beg of you, my father, Lord Edelmiro XI! Spare me from this marriage! I wish that my life be a happy one; one that is free from any sort of political interference!"

"And what sort of life is that, Catalina?" asked my father, as he furrowed his brow. "Do you think that as a lady of Clan Margrace, you may live your life by your own accord? The veins of hatred are deeply rooted in the hearts of our people. It is your duty, as a princess, the eldest daughter of the Rozarrian royal family, to ease our people's suffering. You must never let your pride hinder your will to serve the people."

At these words I fell silent. I felt a deep pang in my chest. Such sudden news left me sleepless that night. I tossed and turned on my bed, thinking of what would become of me…what would happen to life I once dreamed of. What would happen…to the man I love?

"The Emperor Larsa Solidor agreed to a political marriage," I remember my father saying. "He thoroughly expressed his need to further the cause of peace between the empires. If a political marriage will further this cause, he wrote, he is willing to seriously consider the matter. It is not only for the sake of Archadia, but for the sake of Rozarria as well."

"Then that emperor is a fool," I replied coldly.

"Watch your tongue, Catalina!" boomed Edelmiro XI. "If you do not control that mouth of yours, you may find yourself in a very difficult situation. This behavior of yours in unacceptable! Look at this young man, Emperor Larsa is a fine example! He took up the burden of rule at the age of twelve, and now look at him! He is completely monopolizing the Archadian Empire by his own hand. "

I looked at my father. Tears started forming in my eyes. "Then…" I said in a sad tone. "What will happen to Leosandro?"

At once my father smiled. "Ah, now I know what is going on."

Lord Leosandro, one of the many lords of the Rozarrian Empire, had been courting me for about two years already. Leosandro was a brilliant and strong man, and the head of the Department of Interpersonal Connections. He had a silver tongue, a perfect face with perfect features, and a brain that could par to those of scholars. He was an extravagant and passionate man. He always told me that I was the missing piece to his shattered heart. He always complimented my raven hair and hazel eyes. He was a poetic man, and told me that every night he would look out at the brightest star and think of Catalina. He rarely spoke of any other woman, except for his friend named Renata. I assumed that she was a close friend of his.

"We shall see what will happen to Leosandro," my father said, folding his arms.

I wish that I could have said something more, but I realized that nothing more could be done. The crown that sat on top of my father's head, and his scepter, were the things that reminded me that I was nothing more than a mere princess. I was no empress, I was no goddess…I was simply a woman born into a rich family. And I was very much accustomed to the treatments of a woman in this society. My father was the head of the empire, and my lord. I could do nothing more than honor his wish, as the daughter of the emperor.

Al-Cid dropped by my bedchambers that evening as well. As usual, his happy-go-lucky aura filled the room with a certain joy. I always loved having Al-Cid around. He was the man who always kept me smiling. He entered the room as he usually did, without knocking. He opened the door and burst in with his arms wide open. At once he realized my sorry state and laughed.

"Catalina, what did I tell you?" he chuckled. "I told you never to frown!"

"I know, I know," I replied, forcing a faint smile. I got out of bed and stood in front of him, wiping my eyes. "I'm very sorry, big brother. I did not mean to make you upset."

"Ai-ai-ai, there is no time to be a big crybaby, Catalina!" he said, as he took my hands. "You must promise me that you will smile for me, even just this once!"

I laughed. And I smiled.

"See! What did I tell you? You will always smile when Al-Cid is around!" he exclaimed, clapping. He casually jumped onto my bed, messing up the arrangement of the pillows and sheets. "Now tell me, dearest Catalina, what bothers you?"

"Nothing." I said curtly.

"Nothing bothers you?"

"It is a secret,"

"A secret? A secret is still something!" Al-Cid replied. "Now go on and tell me. Something bothers you, does it not? If you tell me, then I promise to tell you a secret in return."

"Your secret?" I asked. "You'll tell me?"

"Nah, ah! Not unless you tell me that problem of yours, I will not tell you this very special secret of mine. It has been a secret that I have kept for many years of my life."

"Okay, very well…" I said, as I looked to the ceiling. "Father…he wants me…to enter a political marriage. The emperor of Archadia agrees to a political marriage, and his counselors say that it is the best way to solve the petty wars and put an end to the fear of the people. A political marriage such as this…a bond between the Rozarrian and Archadian empires would prevent another war from happening."

"Ah, yes, I have heard of that already," Al-Cid sighed.

"Then it is not a secret anymore!" A shade of red flushed across my cheeks. "You lied!"

"No more than you did, dearest Catalina."

"Then what is your secret?" I asked Al-Cid.

My brother got up from the bed and smiled cockily. He stretched his arms and yawned. It was almost midnight. At once he went to me and stroked my cheek. "A secret of mine, one which I have kept for a long time…" he told me calmly. His voice became serious and soothing. "The secret to obtaining true happiness in life…is doing what you think is right. And Catalina may you never forget this."

He kissed me in the forehead.

"Now keep on smiling…" he added, as he made his way towards the door. "You look very ugly when you cry."