The replacement princess

- It's a girl! The future queen is born!

The doctors and nurses were happy to achieve a successful birth. Princess Miriam's birth process lasted long hours, as complications arose due to her fragile health and small body.

The baby weighed around four kilos, which was too much for the young princess's physical build. Because of that, he lost his strength and began to gradually weaken.

Her husband, Prince Roger, was more attentive to his wife's health than to the birth of his daughter. And noticing that his eyes were slowly closing, he called the royal doctor:

- Fast! It is leaving!

But Miriam, taking him by the hand, said in a weak voice:

- No. Leave it. It's too late.

- Don't say that, my wife! – Rogelio sobbed – What will become of the kingdom if you leave? Please hold on, my love!

One of the doctors, seeing that Princess Miriam's heart rate was decreasing, quickly prepared the resuscitation equipment to reactivate the heartbeat.

- Princess Leonor will be the one to inherit the throne, darling – Miriam continued, now barely whispering due to her weakness – And that's why... love... I ask you to take care of her for me... until she is old enough to be... the queen. ...

Rogelio continued sobbing, but nodded his head in silence. He felt helpless because he could only look at her. Little by little, his wife's hand released him, until he fell heavily to the edge of the bed.

- I... you... to...

The heartbeat stopped and the princess breathed her last. The doctor applied electricity to her body to revive her, while the prince did not stop calling her, begging her to return to his side.

But everything was useless. Princess Miriam was dead.

......................................................................................................................................................... .................

The princess's tomb was located in a plot at the back of the palace, where the kings and queens of the past who were at the head of the Northern kingdom for generations were also buried.

The nobles, bourgeois, commoners and other royals were there, saying goodbye to who would have been the next successor to the throne while they debated what the future of the nation held, without a queen available to command.

- Princess Leonor is just a baby. It would be absurd if they named her queen with just a couple of hours of life!

- Yes, but since Queen Abigail and Princess Miriam disappeared it was the best option... Who else could it be? If it weren't for the king falling ill, we would be more relieved. Do we only have... her left?

- No! Don't even mention her! That woman is worse than the devil!

- Don't say that! Although it pains us, we must admit that Princess Jade is the only option... at least until the crown princess turns eighteen as the law dictates.

- It will be eighteen long years of oppression and hell. I'm sure about that!

While the members of the court argued among themselves, a few meters from the tomb stood Princess Jade, who was wearing a black dress with a high collar and long sleeves. The young woman enjoyed a singular beauty due to her long black hair and enormous honey-colored eyes. Her twin sister, on the other hand, was blonde, with skin as pale as candle wax and she wore a gentle expression that made her sympathize with everyone.

Jade shed a couple of tears as she looked at her late sister. He ignored all the malicious conversations of the nobles and proceeded to join his hands in prayer, while thinking:

"Since I was little, I was always the 'replacement princess.' And all because I was born a couple of hours after my twin. But I will show all those idiots at court that I am worthy of occupying the throne and even surpassing my own mother. And I know perfectly well where to start."

He approached Prince Rogelio who, at that moment, was crying profusely over his wife's coffin. He grabbed his shoulder to get his attention and said:

- I need to talk with you.

Rogelio stopped crying and followed his sister-in-law.

Despite his sadness, he was intrigued to know what Princess Jade wanted from him since, during all that time he lived in the palace as her husband, his sister-in-law never paid attention to him. She even acted as if she didn't exist, because she was always immersed in her own affairs. So the first thing he thought was that, possibly, he would throw him out of the palace since he would consider that nothing tied him to that place.

And generally, the husband of a princess or queen had almost no contact with the children they had together because his only function was to "plant the right seed." The children were raised by tutors or nannies specially trained to educate the future kings or dukes of the nation, without giving them the chance to choose their destiny.

However, Rogelio was different. He did want to take care of the girl and not only because she was his daughter, but because he promised his wife, on her deathbed, would that he protect her with his life.

Both princes went to an empty room and, there, the young woman said:

- I am aware of how disturbed you are now, brother-in-law. Losing the love of your life has to be one of the most painful things a human being can experience... or so they told me. I've never been in love.

- It saddens me to see that you are worried about my well-being, your highness – Rogelio told him, apathetically – but I swear that I will know how to pull myself together. My wife may no longer be in this world, but in exchange she gave me a treasure that I want to keep until my turn comes to leave by her side: our daughter. And, therefore, I will do whatever it takes to remain in this palace. I won't let them take her away from me.

- I know – said Jade, showing a strange smile.

Rogelio swallowed. Princess Jade wasn't one to smile much, but when she did, it was simply because she was up to something strange. So he assumed that he would use one of his tricks to subdue him right there and, in the process, humiliate him for fun.

That was why he almost fell on his back when she said to him:

- I propose something to you: let's get married.

- That?

- Yes. I want us to get married – Jade repeated, while crossing her arms and looking at him in a very strange way, as if she were trying to convey to him an affection that she did not feel at all for him – right now, the court is discussing whether or not to grant me the position. Of successor to the throne. Under normal circumstances, it would be my niece who should take that place since she is part of the main direct line of succession to the throne. My mother disappeared and my father is sick, so I am the only option they have left - at that, his look turned sad, as if it really hurt him to lose his loved ones - I admit that I have a selfish reason for this but Also, I think it would be better for you to accept my proposal.

- And how would it benefit me to marry you, your highness? – Rogelio asked, narrowing his eyes.

Jade lowered her arms and slowly approached her brother-in-law. Then, he caressed his cheek and noticed that he became uncomfortable at this strange display of affection on his part.

"I have it at my feet!" Jade thought with a feeling of triumph. "Now all that remains is to aim at his weak side."

- If you marry me, you will keep your title of prince and you will be able to stay in the palace as many times as you want. Doesn't that excite you, dear brother-in-law? Continue enjoying your privileges and, at the same time, be close to your daughter?

......................................................................................................................................................... .................

Across the ocean, hundreds of kilometers from the Northern kingdom, there was a small island where they built a prison for nobles and royals convicted of a crime. The idea was to prevent any possible ally from helping them escape to organize a coup against the crown out of a desire for revenge.

At that time, only one person was in that place, inside a cell, which no one bothered to close because there was no way to leave that island without being eaten by sharks. There lay a woman with gray hair, blue eyes, and a dress that was previously white but that, due to lack of washing, turned gray and filthy over time.

The woman was around sixty years old, or so I thought. He didn't care if he was sixty or a hundred because every day was the same to him. Nothing extraordinary ever happened.

A couple of guards walked through the prison corridors. They looked at the woman for a few moments and then continued on their way while commenting:

- He's relaxed a lot lately. He doesn't try to fight anymore.

- Well, it must have been hard for her to have her own daughter betray her.

- That young woman is worse than the devil! I hope you don't forget to pay us what you owe us just to keep your mother alive.

- Yeah! I'm tired of taking care of her! But we can't throw her into the sea, knowing that she is...

- You don't have to say it out loud.

The voices disappeared little by little and the prisoner, being alone again, let out a couple of mocking laughs. Then, he got up, looked out the window, and noticed a small boat approaching the island.

They usually brought prisoners in boats, because there were very sharp rocks that could damage ships that got too close. But that boat had no crew other than a young sailor dressed in blue.

The guards from a while ago approached him, threateningly, while pointing their powerful rifles that fired laser beams at him. But the young visitor showed them a note and, after reading it quickly, they let him disembark without impediments.

The sailor entered the prison, without being escorted by any guard. He walked straight to the prisoner's cell and, once he was in front of her, he bowed saying:

- Good morning, your majesty. I come on behalf of your ally to get you out of here and give you asylum.

Queen Abigail stood up. She was curious to know why that person would even bother to help her, since she belonged to another kingdom and had her own problems. But what shocked him most was that he learned that she had not died, but rather that she had been captured and held on that island against her will.

Before asking his questions, the sailor managed to dispel some of his doubts:

- A person who esteems her too much and whose name I will not say here contacted his ally so that she can grant you asylum until you are out of danger. I will fill you in on the details along the way, but for now, I ask that you follow me silently, Your Majesty.

- In that case, I will follow you, young sailor – said Abigail, suddenly recovering her spirits – but what intrigues me now is to know how you managed to bribe the guards of this island to let me leave.

The sailor showed him a small bag, where he had accumulated some diamonds. Then he closed it and replied:

- Your daughter didn't pay them enough to detain you and keep you alive in this horrible place. Sometimes just giving a better offer is enough to make the disloyal that are only moved by their own interests change sides. I hope you are satisfied with my answer.

- I am ok. Let's get out of here.

And, without saying anything else, he followed the sailor towards his boat to escape together from that island of terror.

The court was shocked. Not only because Jade announced that she would marry her brother-in-law but also because he accepted her proposal. However, some nobles understood why the prince made the decision, so they showed their support. But many others, with perfidious tongues and black hearts, said about him that he did not want to lose his privileges and only did it to stay within power.

Prince Rogelio cared little or nothing about gossip, because he only cared about his daughter. A couple of days after the funeral, he was in the newborn crown princess's room to personally take care of her. The little girl was lying in her crib made of gold-painted wood, but she was not asleep, but rather spent her time looking around to know her surroundings. Her father, on the other hand, was sitting to the side, reading her some stories to help her sleep.

Princess Jade watched them in the distance, finding the scene completely pathetic. However, nothing occurred to her but to marry the prince in order to increase her prestige in the palace, thus getting closer and closer to occupying the throne as the legitimate queen of the nation.

"According to my calculations, it is very likely that they will give me the position of regent," Jade thought. "But it will be until my niece comes of age. If I get powerful allies within the court, I can make them point in my favor so that they crown me as the queen. And marrying Prince Rogelio is the first step I must take so that the people see me as a kind woman, who takes care of her family and would never leave them to their fate."

He approached Rogelio, with his back turned, and said:

- I need to talk to my father. You can stay as long as you want, but remember that the judge will come at six to approve our wedding.

The man turned his head to look at her and said:

- Don't worry, your highness. I will be there, punctually, in the meeting room to get married. I truly thank you for everything you have done for me. I don't understand why people think he has a corrupt heart, if he has agreed to take me as his husband to prevent them from taking me away from my daughter.

Jade smiled. He realized that his brother-in-law really thought he had mercy on him, but he preferred to leave him to his innocent joy. Only she knew what she truly longed for and she never planned to reveal it to him, so that she would be the one to maintain control of the relationship.

He left the bedroom and headed to the chambers of his father, King Marcus, who had fallen seriously ill after it was reported that his wife, Queen Abigail, had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Due to his fragile health, he was forced to abandon his royal duties to rest until he recovered.

"My father was always a sickly and weak man," Jade thought, as she walked through the halls calmly. "But it's not his fault. It is because he comes from the distant lands of the Southern Nation and was forced to come here to marry my mother. "That country has a warm climate and vast vegetation, it is normal that someone like him cannot adapt to our cold and rocky lands, where winter is eternal and the sun rarely makes its appearance in the sky."

He continued walking, while memories of his childhood came back to him. Although his father tried to dedicate time to his daughters, he almost always remembered him lying in bed, being cared for by a nurse or by his own wife to recover quickly.

"The royal doctor decreed that the best thing for him would be for him to return to his native country," Jade thought, when she was already near her father's room. "Yes, your town borders the forest; it would do you good to be in contact with nature, away from the protocol life of the palace. But if that happens... No! He's my father! I promised that I would personally take care of him until he recovered. And I will make sure it lasts for a long time."

When he entered the room, he saw a desolate scene. His father was a man with dark skin, with some wrinkles that marked his face and black eyes that lacked any shine. At that moment, a couple of nurses were giving him the IV while the real doctor, with a holographic image projector, was agilely manipulating some buttons while saying:

- Your status remains the same, Your Majesty. He is still too weak to continue with his duties as king. For now, let the court rule what the nation's future holds now that we are without a queen.

- Father – Jade said, closing the door behind her back.

King Marcus raised his head and looked at his daughter. He tried to smile at her, but because of the pain in his body he could only show a grimace. In the end, he raised his hand and motioned for her to come closer.

Jade did so. He sat on the edge of the bed and took his father's hand. He made another signal, but with his head, to tell the doctor and the nurses to leave.

Once they left, the king said to the princess:

- Oh, my daughter. I'm so sorry to cause you inconvenience.

- Father, it is a pleasure for me to take care of you as your dear daughter – said Jade, without letting go of his hand – therefore, I ask you to trust me and let me be in charge.

- But my girl, I'm the one who's supposed to support your mother in her absence... Cough! Cough! _

Jade made a strange face, as she handed him a glass of water so he could stop his cough. While the king drank, she remained silent and avoided saying any inappropriate comments.

Once the king managed to quench his thirst, the princess lay down next to him to rest her head on his shoulder. She used to do that since she was little, and it was the tactic that worked best for her when she wanted something from her father, whether it was taking her somewhere or buying her a new dress.

The king sighed. He knew his daughter very well, and yet he couldn't do anything to avoid falling for her charms.

- It's okay, daughter. I'll leave you in charge until your mother returns. I will speak with the members of the court so that they grant you the title of regent and have the same powers and rights as a queen.

- Thank you, father – said Jade, standing up and kissing him on the cheek, as a sign of gratitude – I promise you that I will dedicate my entire life to this nation. Ah! And I will reestablish diplomatic ties with your country of origin, in addition to authorizing the colonization of those lands for our sustenance.

- So are we really going to do it, daughter? Will we continue with the plan to colonize that distant region?

Jade nodded. And, a couple of years ago, Queen Abigail authorized an expedition to lands far from the continent, since they wanted to look for fertile land to create crop fields. The Northern Kingdom almost lacked good land for agriculture, because it was an area dominated by snow and rocks. And although they managed to survive for decades through hydroponic cultivation methods and genetic manipulation, the emergence of an epidemic, the extreme cold that lasted for five years and the fall in the value of metal and copper, caused them to enter an economic crisis that affected them. To all the same.

This meant that research into new methods of growing crops and supplying the population could not be financed, thus causing entire cities to be emptied due to famine and low temperatures.

Jade still remembered how both she and Princess Miriam had racked their brains to propose different means of supplying the population. Queen Abigail managed to locate fertile lands beyond the ocean, but they were occupied by a savage village that subsisted on hunting and gathering.

Unfortunately, the explorations were interrupted after the disappearance of Queen Abigail. And since the entire kingdom was mourning the death of Princess Miriam, no one was willing to continue with the project until the issue of succession to the throne was resolved.

- I understand that the death of my sister and the disappearance of my mother caused great pain to everyone, including me – Jade said to her father, with a sad expression – but the town can't wait. These lands will guarantee us a good future and, if we do not take them now, many lives will continue to be lost. And that doesn't suit us.

- I know – said the king, becoming serious – in that case, I give you my approval, daughter. I will support you in anything, even if I am sick. By the way, when are you getting married?

- It will be today, at six.

- I see. Well, I give you my blessing. I am sure you will be a great regent and a great woman. My heart tells me.

Once the visit was over, Jade walked several meters away from her father's room, while she began to laugh mockingly.

......................................................................................................................................................... ...............

Three years had passed since the death of Princess Miriam and the palace was immersed in a melancholic calm. The only thing that seemed to bring some brightness to that dense atmosphere was the presence of the girl, who used to go to the yard with her father to play in her free time.

Prince Roger and Princess Eleanor were looking at an android the size of the girl, which could dance, answer questions, and carry out simple commands. The little girl had asked him to dance with her and she couldn't stop turning around and around while waving her white dress, while her father applauded them.

- How cute my little princess! – said Rogelio, without stopping applauding – Who is the little princess of the house?

While they were playing, they saw the princess regent walking around with her bodyguards. Although she was quite far away, they recognized her by her black cape that she used to wear on her shoulders, thus covering her peculiar dress that usually varied between white, black or dark red.

The girl, seeing her, quickly approached her and said:

- Aunt Jade! Did you see how I dance with Mr. Robot?

Jade stopped. He looked at the little girl coldly and scolded her:

- You should be in your rooms studying, dear niece. A queen shouldn't waste her time with this nonsense.

Rogelio, who seemed to realize the situation, quickly approached her and, bowing slightly, said:

- My wife, my daughter has already finished her homework. I just wanted him to relax for a while. It's too much to make her read so many books at only three years old!

Princess Jade glared at him, but said nothing. Then, he took one last look at Leonor who, at that moment, was looking sadly at the ground. And without making any further comments, he continued on his way.

Rogelio bent his knees to the ground and hugged his daughter. Leonor rested her head on his shoulder and asked, in a low voice:

- Why does Aunt Leonor hate me?

- No. It's not like that. She doesn't hate you – Rogelio responded, although he didn't even believe it himself – she's just tired, that's all. Better leave her alone.

- Alright.

They stayed like that for a while, until they decided to return to the girl's room to continue their studies.

- Of all the battles I have faced in my long life, this is the most difficult and painful of all.

- Don't say that, your majesty. I am sure that, in the kingdom, there will still be allies waiting for your return.

Queen Abigail, who managed to escape from the prison where she was held against her will, had taken refuge in a residence located on the borders of the Northern kingdom with the Western kingdom. Due to his long period of confinement and his advanced age, it took him months to recover. And after knowing everything that had happened during her absence, she thought that it was best to remain hidden until she was sure to locate those people she could trust.

However, time flew by. Those three years were, for her, a sigh. It hurt him quite a bit to learn of the death of Princess Miriam and, also, of the massacre that Princess Jade carried out in those distant lands of the "Old World" to have them under her control and found the first colony far from the continent.

Although she always sought for her daughters to support her with the colonization of other lands, she never intended for the tribes that lived there to be reduced by the royal army. And, unlike the kingdoms located on the Tellus continent, the rest of the world lived precariously and wildly.

Traveling to those continents was like going on a trip through time, where people lived like animals and used the ruins and other artifacts belonging to ancient human civilization to build their homes or create primitive weapons to defend themselves from predators.

Queen Abigail thought that these people should live on their own. He had no desire to intervene in their customs and traditions, although he appealed to start businesses and reach important agreements to be able to use their lands peacefully. However, Princess Jade proved to have a different opinion and, as soon as she was granted the regency, she authorized the invasion of those tribes to decimate them and appropriate their resources with the use of force.

Just thinking about that made me feel very distressed.

Her ally, who visited her frequently, interrupted her thoughts by saying:

- Your granddaughter is a very energetic and healthy girl, Your Majesty. He inherited his father's brown hair and his mother's pale skin. Unfortunately, she has become very shy due to the reproaches of her aunt, who constantly criticizes her for every small mistake she makes in her princess training.

- Did you bring photos of my granddaughter? I want to see her – the queen asked.

His ally did so. He reached into his pants pocket, took out a set of photos and, showing them to her, said:

- These were the ones I got.

Abigail saw in them a smiling and happy girl. In some images she was wearing a long-sleeved white dress and, in others, she was wearing a red cape that helped protect her from the cold.

The palace garden was still just as green thanks to the chemical treatments they applied to the plants. In this way, flowers could grow in places inhospitable to them and without the need for fertile soil. That made him happy, because it gave him to understand that Jade still retained certain affection for her roots despite her reputation as a perverse and cruel woman.

- I also have news from my brother, your majesty.

Abigail opened her eyes in surprise. And his ally barely used to talk about him, because most of the time that person was bedridden and there was almost no news to tell. He had the faint hope that, at last, he had recovered from his long illness. But the news was not particularly encouraging.

- My brother, King Marcus, suspects that Princess Jade purposely tampered with her medications so that she will never recover or fulfill her duties as monarch. But he has no way to prove it.

- Oh, what a disgrace! – Abigail lamented, while she was on the verge of tears - Does Jade has no heart? How dare he threaten his own father's health because of his ambition? What did I do wrong for it to turn out like this?

- Calm down, please.

The man took the queen by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. Abigail stopped crying and decided to listen to him. His ally, with all the seriousness in the world, told him:

- For now, I only managed to communicate with my brother and Prince Roger from our communication devices. But I fear that Princess Jade will discover us and threaten to locate you, your majesty. Half the court supports her and if they find out that you are still alive, a civil war will break out that is best avoided. Therefore, your Majesty, I would like you to give me authorization to enter the palace and personally monitor your daughter's actions.

- But Duke Tulio, you are the only thing I have left now. What happens if they discover you?

Duke Tulio smiled as he released the queen and walked a few meters away from her. And, with a slight bow, he answered:

- Princess Jade will not be able to deny entry to the palace to her beloved uncle from the South. Furthermore, it is normal for me to want to visit my sick older brother, always fearing that it will be his last day of life. For this reason, I will go as ambassador with the proposal to "strengthen ties" with the Southern Nation and, thus, recruit people who are willing to fight on our side.

......................................................................................................................................................... ...............

- Why doesn't Aunt Jade have dinner with us?

- She's busy, love. Remember that many people depend on her and she cannot leave them abandoned just to join us for dinner.

Prince Rogelio was in the dining room with his daughter, Princess Leonor, tasting the meals that the palace chef prepared for them with great care. For the prince, those were the saddest but, at the same time, the happiest hours of his daily life. Sad, because he remembered that his first wife always had dinner with him, despite how busy she was. And happy, because she could spend quality time with her daughter who, due to her status as heiress, spent hours and hours in the company of her governess to learn the basics of being queen.

"The girl hardly has time to play," Rogelio thought, sadly. "I never thought that training a queen would be so oppressive. It is in those moments of high stress when you need a mother's affection. But my sister-in-law... I mean, second wife, always rejects her or makes fun of her for her ineptitude in studying. Truly, how do you expect my daughter to grow up healthy, without a good maternal reference to lean on?"

While thinking, Princess Leonor commented:

- Daddy, last night I saw that green-haired girl in front of your door.

That alerted the prince, since he knew perfectly well who he was referring to. And without avoiding turning pale, he asked him:

- And what was he doing?

- I don't know - Leonor responded, shrugging her shoulders - she was just there, standing like a statue. I asked him and he told me he was on a mission. But then he left.

Rogelio began to tremble. The night before she had been talking with Duke Tulio, because he had informed her that Queen Abigail was under his protection. However, they kept it a secret as they feared that Princess Jade would have her own mother captured to prevent her from demanding restitution of her position.

While he was careful to speak in code, he had a suspicion that Jade had been spying on him and sent her right-hand man to keep an eye on him. If so, she would find a way to pressure him into revealing the truth and thus ruin her plans.

- Daddy? Are you OK? – his daughter asked him, noticing him nervous.

- Yes, I'm fine – said Rogelio, while he put a bite to his mouth – ah, I thought we could visit grandpa after eating. What are you saying?

- Yeah! Visit grandpa! Visit grandpa!

The girl broke her tag and jumped on her chair, out of joy. Prince Rogelio let her be, because it was one of the few times he saw her smile and that made his soul happy.

"It's lucky that my second wife couldn't accompany us," Rogelio thought, while eating. "If not, I would already be scolding her for 'not behaving like a lady.' Can't they leave her alone or breathe easy? She's a girl, not a machine!"

Once they finished eating, Rogelio and Leonor headed to the king's chambers. At that time, he was reading the newspaper, where they reported on everything that happened both in the country and in neighboring countries. And, in those moments, they heard him murmur the following:

- Oh, wow! So Queen Moria of the Southern Nation plans to resurrect an ancient game called "football"! Interesting!

- Shouldn't you be sleeping, Your Majesty? – Rogelio asked him, as they entered his room.

King Marco put down the newspaper to attend to his visit. When he noticed his granddaughter, he extended his arms and, with a wide smile, said:

- My girl! Did you come to see your grandfather? Come here, little one!

- Grandpa!

The little princess ran straight into the king's arms and he hugged her. They laughed for a long time, while Prince Roger poked his head into the hallways to make sure no one was spying on them.

Once he was sure that the ground was clean, he closed the door, approached the king's bed and said:

- Your Majesty, I was able to communicate with "that person." But I fear that my wife has discovered me.

- My daughter would never dare to harm you, boy – the king told him – Not while I live! Although you are not of my blood, I consider you my son and, therefore, I will do everything in my power to protect you.

- Don't worry about me, Your Majesty – Rogelio said although, deep down, he was moved by his father-in-law's words – what matters is your health. I have managed to confiscate a sample of your medicine to analyze it in the laboratories to determine whether or not it was adulterated.

The king put on a worried expression. Although Jade always loved and attentive to him, he had heard so many bad things about her that it made his heart ache. And the mere thought that his own daughter had poisoned him so that he could never recover filled him with such agony that it was difficult for him to breathe.

Princess Leonor, who was still too young to understand adult things, looked at both of them with a doubtful expression. King Marcus seemed to notice this, so he immediately gave a couple of affectionate pats to his granddaughter's shoulders while commenting:

- My little princess grew up a lot! Soon it will be so gigantic that it will reach the roofs of the palace! I'm sure that when she grows up, she will be just as beautiful as her mother.

- But mommy had blonde hair – Leonor said.

- We can dye it that color, if you want.

- I like my hair – said Leonor, while touching her hair – so I look more like my aunt Jade.

Both the king and the prince were shocked by the girl's words. Although the princess regent did not hide her contempt for her niece, she admired her and had her on a pedestal. But they never imagined that she wanted to look like her, so they feared that, when she grew up, she would not only inherit her physique but also her dark personality.

Immediately, Rogelio approached his daughter and, while hugging her, said to the king:

- I'd better leave your majesty. I see it stable, but I suggest you not push yourself too hard.

- Thanks for visiting me with my granddaughter, boy. I need them – said the king, with a small smile.

Once father and daughter left, King Marcus picked up the newspaper again to continue reading. His mood improved a little, although he felt worried about the fate of his granddaughter.

At one point he saw a note where they talked about a rebel group, which wanted to demand the dismissal of Princess Jade because many remote areas of the kingdom were left in complete neglect after her seizure of power.

He gave a long sigh as he closed the newspaper. A couple of minutes later, the royal doctor came in to give him the medicine. And as he took it, he thought:

"My wife, I hope you can return soon. We still need your guidance to bring order to this kingdom and stop the actions committed by our ambitious daughter."