The Villainous Villainess 4 Chapter 4: Consort Rose

Her mother's dark eyes are filled with worry and her pet.i.te hands grasp onto Viviana's.

If this is how she'll die, at least she'll die with the taste of fruit in her mouth— so who's the real winner here, huh?!

'The crown prince can do what he must, for I have already won!'

"No, I'll go." Viviana determined. "I'll go listen to what the crown prince wishes to say to me."

Her family gives her a stern but understanding look. Her mother squeezes her hand in response and her parents look at her with sad eyes. Vincenzo is the first one to stand from his seat and stalk towards her. He announced that he'll be the one to escort her to his majesty, and the two of them follow the butler out of the dining room and back into the wide hallway.

It doesn't take the three of them long to reach the lounge where the crown prince is waiting for them, and Vincenzo eyes the two Imperial Knights standing outside of the doorway. They're nearly as tall as the doorway itself and are dressed in golden shining armor embellished with floral designs and vines. The insignia of the empire, the sun, is engraved on the chests of the armor.

The butler knocks on the door to announce her presence. Vincenzo's bronze face scrunches and uneasiness flows out of his body. He takes one last look at his baby sister and takes her small hand and kisses the back of it. He gives her a sad smile and gently pushes her in the room, the door closing as the butler leaves for his other duties.

Unfortunately, Vincenzo's uneasiness spread to Viviana. Just what the h.e.l.l was going on? Why is her family acting like she was throwing herself to a lion's den? Oh, G.o.d— she was just kidding about the mafia family thing, please give her a sign that she wasn't actually right and that her maybe mafia family isn't throwing her under the bus to save their a.s.ses...

The door shuts and Viviana immediately curtsied in the direction of his royal highness, who sat on the white sofa to her right. There were two couches in this lounge that faced off at each other and in between was an ivory coffee table with a tea set sitting on its white surface. The crown prince silently dipped on his tea and smiled at her when he saw her figure.

"Your highness, you called for me?" She asked, not daring to raise her head and look into his eyes.

"Viviana, yes." He started. His voice was surprisingly more youthful than she had originally thought it was going to be. "Please take a seat, dear."

Sweat started to form at her pores as she proceeded to seat herself on the couch across from him. She forced down her fears and took a look at the prince whom welcomed himself into her own home. He politely smiled at her in response and set his tea on the table.

He couldn't be that much older than her, perhaps a year or two. His crimson orbs stared her down with his luscious platinum lashes that contrasted with his bronze skin. His platinum blonde strands framed his youthful face and his three pieced white and royal blue embellished suit screamed his royal status. There was nothing less than the best for the heir to the throne.

He was well refined as a seven year old. As expected of a crown prince.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, sire," Viviana started. "But, have we met before? Is that why you've come here?"

'Shoo! Be gone! Leave my mafia family and I alone!' She silently pleaded.

His smile immediately wavered but he stubbornly kept it on.

"I came to see my Consort Rose's condition," He calmly stated. "Though I am glad you're recovering just fine, I'm saddened that you don't remember me."

Viviana scrunched her face.

"Huh?" The face she had on was pure confusion and the crown prince laughed in response.

"Darling, we're practically engaged."

"What? You joke, your highness."

Then Viviana's memories came out of the depths of her mind and swarmed inside of her.

•*•*•*•*•

It was the day for the Consort Candidate party they held annually, every since the crown prince turned five, to finally commence.

It was a party thrown specifically for the crown prince to interact with n.o.bility of the opposite s.e.x in hopes of him marrying one of them either as the empress or a concubine. The top consort candidate would be then dubbed, Consort Rose, and had the most chance of becoming the crown prince's legal wife and empress.

Girls with n.o.ble blood above the age of five and under the age of 9 were able to attend the party. Every year the minimum and maximum age requirement would change as the crown prince aged.

That day, Viviana didn't get the luxury of introducing herself to the prince due to the fact that there were just so many other candidates whom had gone to greet the prince and curry his favor. Because she didn't quite understand the meaning of the party (nor did she even bother to try to), it wasn't long until her child instincts began to quake and she ran off on her own to do her own thing. She wandered and explored the entire courtyard before coming across the Rose Lake.

The Rose Lake was famous for its Rose Bridge. As it's name, it was a beautiful limestone bridge and its railing was covered in roses and th.o.r.n.y vines. Fallen rose petals calmly sat on the flat surface of the lake, giving it more charm. Enamored how beautiful the bridge looked like in its reflection on the surface of the Rose Lake, she bent her tiny body over the railing to take a closer look.

"If you get any closer, you'll fall." A voice called out to her from her far left. Strangely enough, it sounded similar to her elder brother's, whom had been forced to stay back at the estate by their parents despite his protests. They both were inseparable since the day she was born and she had never left the estate before.

"Huh? Vincenzo, you're here?" She asked, pushing herself up from the railing of the bridge and turning to look at the owner of the voice.

Her pink flats touched the limestone and she stared at the young boy with platinum blonde locks and crimson suit, who stood at the foot of the bridge. Before either party could say anything; a loud sonic boom rang and a light flashed into the air between them, startling the two children. They both took a step back from their respective sides, their eyes glued shut and hands over their eyes and ears. Their ears rung continuously and didn't hear the cracking and crumbling of the limestone bridge.

By the time the boy opened his ruby orbs and calmed down, the little girl and the bridge had already fallen.

Panicking and distressed, he knew nothing better than to jump in after her. He ripped off his clothing and his shoes before splashing in.

The Rose Lake was deep and he didn't know how much time pa.s.sed from the time the bridge had fallen to the present... But he couldn't leave knowing that if he had left, the chances of that girl living would diminish every pa.s.sing second.

As far as the sunlight could reach within these waters, the boy finally spotted the young girl's body sinking into the darkness. Hurriedly, he swam towards her and, as if it was G.o.d's will, he cling onto her smaller body and swam upwards.

The air supply he had in his lungs were gonna give out any second now and he was barely half way to the surface. But he had to endure. He just had to! He shut his eyes and made a prayer to the G.o.ds, and when he opened them, his head peeked through the surface of the lake and he took a large breath of oxygen.

He swam to the sh.o.r.e with the girl in his arms and gently put her down as he heavily panted.

"Your highness!"

"Sire!"

"Prince Athanasius!"

The servants had finally realized that their crown prince had gone missing and found the two children soaking wet.

"What happened, sire?"

"Save her." He commanded in between breaths and waved off the question with his hand.

Someone then given him their blazer, luckily it was large enough to cover his entire body, and the boy rushed no time into drying and warming himself.

He watched as a maid stepped up and pressed her two fingers on her neck.

"She's still alive!" She shouted in surprise and immediately began pressing compressions onto the smaller child's chest.

Relief spread through the crown prince's body. She was still alive... He had gotten to her in time.

After a series of compressions, she plugged the child's b.u.t.ton nose and blew breaths into her mouth. This repeated for another minute or two, but the girl showed no signs of breathing or awakening.

Anxiety and fear began to burst and explode inside Athanasius. He couldn't believe that this little girl wasn't going to wake up. He'd gone through so much work and almost died in the process to get her; but all his blood, sweat, and tears would be in complete vain.

This little girl couldn't have been younger than his little brother, the second prince, and a wave of sadness and helplessness overcame him. She was so young and she was dying right in front of him, and he couldn't do anything but watch.

The tears swelled up in his crimson eyes as he watched the maid repeat her actions. He prayed to the G.o.ds once more, hoping that they would answer his prayers like they had before.

They didn't.

She didn't wake up.

Before he knew the hot tears came streaming down his face and all he could feel was this sticky, burning sensation clawing all over his body. His legs stomped over to the younger child and he kneeled besides her.

"Wake up!" He bellowed. "Wake up this instance!"

But the only movements were from the maid who still continued to press on the girl's body.

"Wake up! That's an order from the crown prince of Asor Canina!"

No response.

"You dare defy the authority of the crown prince?" This time he got into her face. As if he wasn't yelling loud enough for her to hear. "Wake up!"

Nothing.

"If you wake up this very instance, I'll marry you!"

Then, all he could feel was a splash of water sprouting from an unknown source on his bronze face. He immediately pushed himself away from it, whatever it was. He wiped his face with his oversized sleeves.

The sounds of a young voice coughing and the servants' relieved sighs filled the once tense air.

He moved his sleeves from his sight and watched as the maids turned the little girl over to her stomach and in her knees, hitting her back. The girl cried as she coughed up the remaining water from her lungs.

Tears and snot were streaming from her face as she took a single glance at him. Her turquoise orbs were rimmed crimson and her nose and cheeks as well.

She was... alive. It shocked him so much that he couldn't find the words to say anything and couldn't move. He just watched.

A maid came and stripped her of her soaking wet clothing and wrapped her in a blazer just like his. Another maid took her white ap.r.o.n and used it to wipe away the girl's snot before a male servant carried her away in his arms. The girl cried even louder and started to wail. She started to cry so hard that her body began to shake.

"I— I want my mama and my papa!" She cried in between hiccups.

"Who are your parents, little one?" The male servants who held her in his arms asked in a soft comforting voice.

"D— Duke and d.u.c.h.ess V— Valentino!"

The remaining servants nodded at one another before leaving the area to find her parents and notify them of the situation.

"It's okay, little one. Your parents will come get you soon, okay?"

The girl only nodded in agreement and continued to sob. By the time they found her parents she had cried herself to sleep in the servant's arms.

•*•*•*•*•

"Incredible," Athanasius laughed. "Not only do you have to guts to directly spit in my face after this crown prince saved your life, you apparently have more to tell him that his words are a joke."

Viviana began to splutter and blink furiously, unsure what to say. She couldn't afford to insult him any further for the sake of her mafia family. She had to protect them, even if they were unethical! She made a vow!

And on the other hand, why don't child psychologists exist in this plane? Because there's two children over here in this very estate that need your a.s.sistance and guidance! Do people here not care for children over here, for f.u.c.k's sake?!

Jesus Christ... here's your chance to make it all right again and cleanse mankind with your presence...

"I'll spell it out for you," the older child spoke after taking a sip of his tea and setting it back down. "You, Viviana Giacinta Valentino, have been chosen as Consort Rose of Crown Prince Athanasius Adonis Asor-Canina of Asor Canina."

And then it hit her. Choked her up. Grabbed her by her hair and dragged her across the room and tossed her out the window.

Because she had never heard her entire full name since she had regained her memories of her past self, the truth didn't come into light.

•*•*•*•*•

In the game, «Chamber of Roses» was a girl with her exact name...

Viviana Giacinta Valentino, daughter of Duke Vittorino Ezio Valentino and d.u.c.h.ess Meilin Valentino, and younger sister of Vincenzo Angelo Valentino.

Her parents' marriage was an arranged one.

Her mother was from the Far East continent and her family grew kiwis, lychee, and Asian pears. Her family was extremely well off and began doing trade out of their country and began doing trade with the Valentino Dukedom. An agreement came about: marriage in exchange of kiwi, lychee, and pear seeds. So her mother was sent to the west to expand business. Luckily, her parents fell in love with each other and had a happy marriage.

Her dukedom's land were incredibly large and fertile, so her family specialized in farming both red and white grapes, apples and pears, strawberries, lychee and kiwis. They had their own wine company, Valentino Wine, that was very popular due to its sweet fruity flavors. They exported their wine and fruit, giving the Dukedom plenty of money that nearly rivaled royalty.

Viviana fell in love with his highness, the Crown Prince Athanasius Adonis Asor-Canina, after he saved her from drowning one fateful day. Due to circ.u.mstances, he made her Consort Rose.

When Athanasius met Sara, the main character, Viviana was filled with jealous and was afraid that she would take her man. Eventually, Sara began meeting and befriending the capture targets, which only worsen Viviana's feelings.

Because of her family's influence, Viviana constantly got away with her bullying and hara.s.sment of the main character. Then, she crossed the line when Viviana spotted Sara kissing a capture target (either one of them) and made a plan to end Sara once and for all...

She was eventually caught in the act by Athanasius, who then stripped her from her t.i.tle and had her executed for her crimes.

In Athanasius' route, Sara is made Consort Rose and becomes empress once Athanasius succeeded his father.

In everybody else's? It's the same. She's forgotten forever.

The end!

Yay!

Wasn't that great, kids? What an ending.

•*•*•*•*•

"I don't want to be Consort Rose." Viviana states after recovering from her shock, her turquoise eyes staring down the boy in front of her. "I'm only five, I can't be a consort!"

Rage ignited in her veins after learning of her fate with this boy who calmly sat in front of her. h.e.l.l be it if she insulted him! He killed her!

The older boy looks at her with wide eyes and mouth held open.

"What? I thought every girl wanted to be Consort Rose?! Why don't you? Isn't that why you were at the party?"

She looks at him with a feign cringed face.

Even if he was a little psychotic and knew too many big words at his age, maybe there was some hope that he was still a child after all. Unlike someone...

"Are you stupid? My papa told me I had to because the law said so! I was just following the law!"

Athanasius spluttered, taken back by her words.

"You dare call this crown prince 'stupid?!' Forget it, with your rude and unruly personality, I don't want to marry you anymore!"

Then he crossed his arms and looked away from the girl.

"Excellent! Who said I wanted to marry you in the first place? You decided that on your own!"

The blonde boy's jaw dropped at that statement and suddenly went silent. He didn't spare her a glance and grabbed for his tea. He sighed and then spoke in a soft voice.

"... You're right. I'm sorry. I made you Consort Rose in the heat of the moment, without thinking about your feelings, especially since you and I had just suffered a traumatic experience."

Viviana nodded in agreement, watching as Athanasius sipped on his tea before setting it back down.

"That being said, will you forgive me?" He asked in a gentle voice.

Viviana leaned back on the white sofa and closed her eyes, thinking of her reply. She'll only forgive him if he agreed to remove her from his consort list once and for all. Completely ban her from the Consort Candidates party forever!

"Only if you remove me from the consort candidacy forever."

The prince gasped.

"I can't do that!" He protested.

"What? You're the crown prince, whose going to stop you?"

"Uh, my parents, the emperor and empress?! Who else?"

'Well, they didn't stop you from ordering my death the first time around, didn't they? What's the difference between removing me from the candidacy and removing me from life?' Viviana yelled in her heart.

"Well, that's not my problem, sire."

Viviana could hear the older boy get up and walk towards the door. Was he leaving? Good riddance. She wanted to take a nap. All these memories flooding back to her made her tired.

Plomp!

Viviana felt a weight shift next to her, like there was someone sitting there. A hand linked itself into her right hand, their fingers locking themselves into hers.

She opened her turquoise orbs, only to see one of the most terrifying scenes she's every seen in both of her lifetimes; a little Athanasius with the most s.h.i.t-eating-grin anyone could muster in the entire universe and his crimson eyes filled with pure mischief, vengeance, and a hint of malice.

The air became heavy and cold, it like she was drowning in Rose Lake all over again.

"Oh, my sweet darling, Viviana..." he spoke in a honeyed voiced. "I could never imagine anyone else as Consort Rose besides you, my love."

He scooted closer to her.

"You don't wish to be Consort Rose, my dearest?"

He tightened his grip on her small hand before whispering in her ear.

"Well, that's not my problem."