Chapter 1
Athena looked out her window at the beautiful sunset. The silver rays seemed to dance with the water of the fountain. The air was fresh and pure. No sound of cars or anything else could be heard to spoil the beautiful sight before her, only the sounds of small animals giving their recital on this beautiful summer night. The days were so hectic at the manor that she preferred the night and its silence. She smiled as she closed her eyes. If she didn’t have this deep sadness, she would already be running down the steps to the river for a night swim. Athena sighed. She had not left her room for two days now. She only let her maid in when she brought her food or came to clean her room... She didn’t want to see anyone else, not her mother, not her sister, and certainly not that oaf of a duke who was her father. She was angry at all of them for agreeing to give her hand to this prince Don Juan who was on the front page of the scandal press and this without talking to her as if her point of view did not count... It was her life after all... Of all the princes and lords that existed on earth, it was Prince Louis that her father chose as his future son-in-law... He had after all found a charming marquis for his sister, why didn’t he do the same for her... She would have to accept the fact that she would never make a love marriage because of her title... She couldn’t be asked to marry a man she could never stand. It was too much for her...
She remembers flatly refusing when her father decided to tell her about it... Her father, of course, told her that it was not a request but an order and took the opportunity to remind her that she was the daughter of a duke and that she should have a husband of noble blood. Her father went so far as to add that Athena was lucky that a rich prince was willing to marry her because with her modest manners, he had simply hoped to entrust her to a knight or a rich landlord. The young woman was offended by his words and to show her disenchantment, she shouted at him that she would lock herself in her room until he changed his mind. “Leave her, she’ll come out eventually...” her father had replied when her mother was pleading for her daughter. Athena had this dream where she saw a thunderbolt, hitting her father. It was mean of her to think such a thing but she prayed to see her dream come true. She didn’t hate her father... She just hated the fact that he put duty before family all the time... Athena had never seen him smile. Or at least...she couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled. Not to mention the last time she decided to talk to him like a father to his daughter and not a king to a princess. Athena sighed and looked at her bedroom door. She wouldn’t last a week, she knew it... She loved her long walks and crazy horse races too much.
Someone knocked softly on her door and she could easily guess who was at her door...
- Raidjah? I don’t open... I am still sulking. And I won’t sulk again until Daddy changes his mind.
- Athena... you are overreacting! It’s been two days already.
- And I’ll be staying a long time. Good night!
- Athena... I came all the way to see you but you, you hide ...
Athena did not answer. Her sister had come the day before at the first casting when her mother had told her how Athena had reacted to the news. Raidjah had such a good heart... However, Athena should encourage her to change her mind... No way is she going to marry that playboy prince.
- I brought you some books... I left them under the door.
Athena didn’t answer anything but saw six books slipping under her door. She stepped away from the window and waited a few minutes before taking them under the door. She was tired of her cell phone and movies... Athena got into bed, planning to read at least two of the books. She had spent the day sleeping and didn’t expect Morpheus to take her away any time soon. However, she was tired. Exhausted from doing nothing. She remembered her long hours of walking, riding, and swimming in the river behind the mansion. She remembered the taunts of her servant who paid her wages, her carelessness, poor thing... What was wrong with her? She should have simply told her father that she would never speak to him again, but staying in her room was like a punishment. If only... If only she didn’t have titles, she could live her life the way she wanted to. She wouldn’t have to follow a schedule that someone else had carefully planned for her. She wouldn’t have to marry a prince out of interest...
- Your fencing class is at one o’clock, don’t be late... Then your dance class is at two, don’t wear pants... Mima, she was imitating her mother.
She would pause and resume:
- You don’t use your phone at the table and you don’t talk with your mouth full.... she said, imitating her father.
All her life, she had followed a path that aimed to make her a respectable woman. She had always let them, even though she knew they were always disappointed in her... Athena, personally, didn’t care. She suddenly remembered the time she had insulted an emir because he had told her she looked more like a servant. Her father’s face was livid, as if he had seen a ghost. She smiled. She sighed as she picked up one of the “Dangerous Attraction” books she read on the cover... She opened the first page and quickly immersed herself in the magic of an eternal love story...
