Their eyes widened, lips gaped open wide. They were basically breathless with what is happening and what they were actually seeing right in front of their very own eyes. "I am very sorry for hiding my powers to everyone." She smiled, then she quickly flew up.
"T-The rumors.. were true?" Everyone whispered, yet no one tried to scream not shout. They just looked up, waiting for the next move that the Princess will do. A million of questions were flowing inside their minds but all they did was watch her.
Ashleah took a deep breath also closing her eyes, thinking of what she could do that can impress them and make them never look down on her ever again, not because she is JUST a woman like they think she was. She wanted to prove to every single one of them that looks down on women that they have a lot more to give than just being married, being house wives, or so.
As she opened her eyes, it was no longer brown as it turned into purple, the same color of the powers that were coming out of her palm. Her hair was flowing all around, she smiled and looked up before spreading her arms up, soon then there was a shield all over the Imperial Palace.
"Cason, are you sure that she won't feel any pain or-" Prescott could not even complete what he was saying when Cason chuckled, covering his lips and looked at Ashleah again who really looked like a descendant of the Goddess.
"Do not worry with your Master, she knows her limits. And look at her, do you really think they will try and hurt her with this much power she is showing? Her eyes changed, that never happened while we were training. There are still a lot of things we do not know of with her powers." Cason took his hand off from Prescott's mouth and wiped it off.
Nash was speechless, he felt shivers down his spine. He was about to cry yet he was stopping himself to do so. He also has to be strong to be not looked down on. Ashleah's making a lot of steps forward to being an Empress that she always wanted to be.
Years, and years of waiting for this to happen. All of those sleepless and nightmares he had. Seeing her dead and alive each and every life she had breaks his heart so much that there it came to the point where he wanted to give up.
Not until, seeing her all over again. A high school student. She had this different vibe, he was right. He will do everything, every single thing for their happiness, even so it means he has to give up his own life.
"If you are thinking that you are the only one in the fight Nash, you should stop. Ashleah will be mad at you." Axis' voice made the Duke come back to reality, not so widened eyes he looked at the soon to be high priest and smiled.
"You may think that I am not suitable for being an Empress to such Empire." Ashleah spoke up again with her eyes still in glowing purple. "At first, I also thought that I cannot carry the responsibilities of it. Come to think of it, I guess I changed my mind. I am going to be the first Empress with all of my strength and efforts with it."
They were gaping at how beautiful and majestic the scene was. Older women had tears dropping down one by one to their cheeks as they listened to what the Imperial Princess was saying. A very powerful message from a woman who had the power to do so, she was using the power she had to speak up. Finally.
She flew down, closing her eyes it turned back to brown and the shield slowly faded away. With a smile she looked at her Father, nodding her head.
Emperor Adler on the other hand wiped those small tears on the side of his eyes and took a deep breath. "We will release an official statement later, to those who saw the Imperial Princess using her powers for the first time, may you support my daughter until she becomes an Empress she always wished for to be."
They bowed down, Ashleah with her Father walked inside the Imperial Palace again. What made them shock and panic was soon as Ashleah saw the door of the terrace close, she collapsed to her knees, gaping for air.
"Your Highness!" Cason, Gab, Kian, Prescott, Axis, and Nash suddenly shouted running their way to her. She looked up with tears streaming down to her cheeks and chuckled lightly.
"I-I did it." She looked at Nash, the Duke looked at the Emperor. He nodded his head giving permission that Nash can come closer to the Princess. Nash hugged Ashleah, caressing her hair slowly and in a very comforting way.
"Yes, yes. You did it. Great Job." He smiled, Ashleah continued to cry like she was some kind of baby; Prescott of course who was very concerned with his Master ran around trying to find a glass of water that she can drink.
-----------------------
"Her Imperial Highness with Duke Deoncan is here." The maids who took care of the 5 Princes blurts out. Ashleah came rushing in, and saw Prince Lovis, Raven, Enver, and Akriel who had a very worried expression.
"You can go now." Nash whispered to the maid, she nodded her head and closed the door. "Where is Prince-"
"UWAAAAH!! Blake!!" Ashleah cried out as soon as she saw Blake standing up. "You stupid fool! Why are you standing up?! Are you sure that you are okay now?! No! You are not okay! So WHY ARE YOU STANDING-"
Ashleah continued to flood Blake with questions and complaints. Making the 4 other Princes chuckle, Nash who was very confused with the situation furrowed his eyebrows. Prince Raven who saw how the Duke's expression changed chuckled.
"My, do not worry. We always have been this close to Ashleah-"
"Ashleah?" He glared at the Prince.
"She gave us the permission to call her with that, Duke. Do not worry for every Prince inside this very chambers of the Beryl Palace is not and will never be in love with her Highness." Prince Lovis continued what Prince Raven was saying.
"What do you mean? You were here to get her hand in marriage, are you not? Stop playing with what I am thinking-"
"Two here have lovers, waiting for true love. We are here just because of our Father's persuasion." Prince Blake replied to what Nash was saying. "I think that Ashleah does not have the time to tell you that. Guys, introduce yourselves."
Nash who had a creased forehead, slightly gaped lips, furrowed eyebrows waited for them to introduce themselves one by one to him. Well, to think he never met them like this because he always treats them as his enemy.
"Enver, I have a lover. Please do not judge me. I am in a relationship with the same gender as me, Count Nicolai." They waited, silently for his reaction.
"There is nothing wrong with that. Love is Love." Ashleah smiled with Nash's reply, she knew that he will never judge someone.
"Akriel, I have a lover. Yet, you and everyone inside the chambers are the only one who knows. Lady Ciara Cruz."
"Raven, I do not have a lover at the moment. Goal is to be a King."
"Lovis, I also do not have a lover for now. I am creating something that can start a new era for Genry."
"Blake, I do not have any love interests for now."
"So, all this time....?" He was speechless, Ashleah giggled and nodded her head, replying to what Nash said.
"All this time, these very attractive 5 Princes aren't here for my hand in marriage. They are here just because I created a new whole lot of friendship with them, Nash." She ended up laughing as Nash sighed out of relief.
"He was relief that there are no more enemies." Enver started laughing with Ashleah, they all did the same.
"Cason did a good job with taking care of you. Aziel are being consoled by them right now. The kid was in so much trauma since it happened right in front of his very eyes." Ashleah sighed. "I cannot let them hurt and harm anyone anymore. This is the LAST STRAW."