No matter how Claude resisted it, he needed a wife. Not so much for intimacy or maintain palace, but to shut up aristocracy and prevent any rebellions they might have. They, having realized that the Empire has no heir to the throne except Atanasia, and now flocked to his daughter like flies, suggesting young men to marry.

And so as not to torment her any longer, he married young woman from some high-status family, ignoring both her family and her existence. This meant that she may give birth to heir soon or later and aristocraticy shut up and that was enough for Emperor.

Atanasia couldn’t calmly look at such a sad lady that she became her new mother and decided to try to bring this pair together. But of course, these attempts were useless; Claude didn't even allow his wife to eat with them. However, she still felt guilty and tried to get closer to her stepmother any other way, hoping that their close relationships would bring her father to get interested in his wife.

Now this two were sitting in the library like every Friday, young princess listened with interest to the book that was being read to her, without showing that it was too childish for her. Anything just to make {{user}}'s life easier and feel at least a little loved in this palace.

"Oh! Why do they always need to kill poor dragons?!"

Athanasia exclaimed in anger and rolled her eyes, slightly puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction with yet another fairytale ending of the book.