The crown belongs to him.
As the youngest princess of the kingdom, what was hers was never actually hers, but what is Cassian Henry Valois-- her eldest brother--will always be. This also pertains to Antoinette Marie Valois; she is the cliche beautiful eldest sister (only elder by a few months, by the way), but she is the poster child for the kingdom of March, otherwise known as the Iron March of Eldoria. She is the most beautiful in the land, following her promiscuous brother, and by default, Maria, supposedly, of course.
Being the youngest out of three royals isn't the worst thing in the world, but being the youngest child of three royals who so happens to be the only one born out of wedlock--that can be a pretty horrid ordeal.
Maria never knew her mother; some rumors say it was some random poor maid that seduced the king, others say it was a beautiful maiden that came and went, spent a night with the king, and flew away with her angelic wings--whatever bullshit kingdom folk gossip about, Maria supposes. She's often been told she's a bit too much of a realist and often no-nonsense, so maybe that's why she lacks imagination.
Maria, however, wises what is occurring was in fact, unreal, an alluring hindrance of a dream that fills her big round gold eyes with glitter and angelic feathers instead of the blood and chaos she witnesses from her place on the ground, surrounded by her own blood soaking some old-fashion and dull dress her step-mother allowed Maria the honor of purchasing while her sister only receives the most updated dresses and jewels.
Maria blinks, swallows, and heaves as her lungs are filled with stale air and blood as she realizes that she's lying on the ground, a sword stuck in her chest as blood oozes in puddles around her, a stream of the red liquid running down her chin and dripping near her pale neck. Maria realizes that the carpets and tapestries around her are covered in hot flames, screaming ill curses of anger at the chaos of knights killing nobles or fallen houses or weak mages or elder bishops and-the flames are strong, far away but not far away enough for Maria to feel the heat on her pale cheeks, causing them to become flushed.
Or maybe it's the feeling of anger and betrayal through her blood steam; maybe that is what's making her face feel hot, her fingers twitch with nerves, and her wide eyes crinkle in pure emotion.
"I know you're about to die, so I'll keep it short." It's her eldest brother, Cassian, who speaks, looking down at her body with dull, uninterested eyes as he holds the hilt of the sword stuck in her body. "I hate you, so, so much. You're disgusting--filth--a being that should never have been born. Truly, God hates you, but not as much as I."
Cassian sighs, ripping the white gloves off his big hands and throwing them in the red puddle near Maria's body like trash. He snickers, gritting his teeth and almost hissing as he looks away, watching another get slaughtered by his men before he turns back to Maria, who is staring up at him with wide eyes.
"I touched you just yesterday with those gloves. I knew what needed to be done today, however, so I kept them to throw away later." Cassian said. "Those were my favorites, too. You trash."
Maria swallows, feeling her body quiver, her round eyes boil with large tear droplets as the salted water runs down her plump cheeks. Her plump, red lips quiver as she watches Cassian almost smile, amused at the weakened, pitiful state he leaves her in right under his new throne.
"Why...?" Maria asked, and she asked nothing more, too consumed by sorrow to desire any more satisfactory answers.
"I'll be a bit honest, even if it injures my pride, just a bit. Only because I've already won the crown." Cassian said, slowly looking away, digging his newly polished shoes in the bloodied red and gold carpet he stands on, watching as his white shoes become stained. "I hate that you were going to be better. Than me. Than Eldoria's future king. How shameful is that?"
Cassian suddenly becomes angry, gritting his teeth, raising his leg, and kicking Maria's head enough for her to feel her skull riddle with the impact.
"A dog--no, a bitch should stay to serve her master," Cassian said, heaving with a large, lava-hot rage through his lungs. "How dare you always try to walk without your leash?! You are a pauper, not the prince, you shit! You are nothing! Yet you've always stepped out of line--ridiculous!"
Cassian turns away, letting out a soft huff through his plump lips as he raises his pale hand to run it through his curly golden hair, his narrowed golden eyes glaring down at Maria like all the years of playing games, of sparring together, or Cassian copying her homework or sneaking her snacks all wasn't within the past between them, but a hallucination.
"I did what my mother told me to do. To play your stupid companion." Cassian huffs, snickering to himself, folding his muscled arms to his chest as he rolls his gold eyes. "Now the dog can finally be put down. Thank heavens!"
Cassian quickly scoffs, turning his back to Maria and walking away. He waves to one of his fellow knights and mutters something in their ear, low enough for only Maria and them to hear.
"Make sure you hang her body as a flag," Cassian said, offering a smile, his golden eyes crinkling with glee as the knight next to him freezes up, shivering in disgust. "Let the new world know the old one is officially dead."
The knight nods, scurrying away, and Cassian throws one last disgusted look over his shoulder.
Maria opens her mouth to speak, low and inaudible, yet her soft voice is loud enough to alert Cassian, who suddenly stops, raising a gold eyebrow.
"What did you say?" Cassian said, turning his body to face Maria, who is fighting her bruised and bloodied body, staring up at Cassian with wide, burning, bright golden eyes as she opens her shivering mouth to retort.
"...you..." Maria said, suddenly opening her mouth to let out a stream of blood as she hacks, coughing harshly enough for red to spatter down her chin and leak onto the floor. Maria heaves, fighting the desire for her round eyes to roll at the back of her head, squinting and focusing her blurry eyes on Casein's standing form.
"What?" Cassian said, his voice raised in annoyance. "I cannot hear you. Speak up."
"...I'll kill you," Maria said, causing Cassian to flinch, raising his eyebrows wide as he let out a surprised, mocking laugh.
"But you are already dead!" Cassian seethes. "How can you possibly? You-!"
"I'll kill you!" Maria roars, her golden eyes staring pointedly at Cassian with as much rage and venom as she can muster as her body limply lies on the ground, denying her any pardy. "I'll fucking kill you, you bastard! I'll kill you! I'll take that crown from you, and-and I'll-and I'll-."
"I'll take it for myself!"
Maria screams at the top of her lungs, anger and rage seething within her veins. She feels a burning sensation near her neck, next to her heart, where her clock necklace lies oddly placed at the top of the left side of her chest. The necklace begins to glow, burning the most brightest, beautiful golden hue she's ever seen as the world around her suddenly is overtaken by the bright light.
Maria Hattie Valois dies that day, 25 Martius 483 CEOE (Common Era of Eldoria).