Stolen bride- Rebirth of abandoned duchess

I will marry

After Duke Everdale returned to Avesta, it was a matter of discussion of who was to be offered as a sacrificial lamb to Ardos.

The imperial princess of Avesta was her father's pride thus under no conditions she was to be placed in a precarious condition where she would have to bear the brunt of being a bride that was sent by the enemy kingdom and would be suspected as a spy thus when there was no movement from the side of Avesta, Ardos sent its army at the borders.

There was no breach of boundaries but even stationing of the mighty warriors and engulfing the empire from all its sides was seen as a threat.

Avesta if not sacrificed a mere woman shall be annihilated. The imperial princess thus at last agreed despite her father- the emperor's resistance yet soon all issues were to be resolved.

"You are even younger than my daughter that why are you willing to sacrifice your life?"

Princess Layla had requested an audience with his majesty the emperor and thinking that it was Duke Everdale's message, his majesty had granted her a private audience yet when she appeared it was confirmed that the Duke was unaware of the whole situation.

A tea table was set up in the emperor' chambers where the female was sitting elegantly but despite the beauty that she had in her bones when she thought for a long time without answering but deeply thinking, the emperor did not got angry and rather saw her hesitation to answer.

"What you say here shall not be disclosed even before your father." Layla thus smiled and continued.

"As your majesty must know that I am engaged to Duke Valentine by the orders of my father who wish to strengthen the military in case Ardos attacks...it is just that I believe it will be better to perish buried under the snow in Ardos than to marry Duke Valentine."

The emperor had multiple hands and infinite eyes in the empire so even if anything was not explicitly told he was always aware of the happenings.

Princess Layla was the most noble woman in the empire of Avesta after the imperial princess thus having an engagement without any happiness was questionable since the daughters of the dukes and emperor were always held in high regards, is she wished to break the engagement or did not like Duke Valentine then it must not be an issue.

Afterall since when Everdale needed Valentine's power to the extent that they will give up their princess.

"And why is that?"

"Because my father the duke would not annul this engagement and Duke Valentine...he told me that I must give birth to an heir for him and try to achieve such before his deputation to the war. I don't want that."

Thinking that it might be a tantrum of a little child the emperor did not paid much attention to Layla's words earlier yet the moment those words escaped her lips the teacup was settled with a sharp sound. In the empire of Avesta the marriageable age was twenty one and no matter how early an engagement occurs women did not gave birth until after marriage.

"Your majesty can confirm the same by sending someone to secondary mansion of Valentine." There was a long silence extending to half an hour after she said those words, the emperor called several people and sent them to the Valentine ducal house, the Everdales and some to the secondary mansion.

When the people came back they had quite a shock written on their faces as they narrated the incident to the emperor who by each passing second was getting angrier.

"You do not need to do this, I will protect you as my subject." Even if she was a stranger, she was still a child, what kind of monster were these people that were sitting high in aristocracy, even the imperial palace that had dirty secrets did not indulge in such things.

"It is my decision for which his majesty need not feel sorry, to save Avesta my homeland and to stop the bloodbath I would like to trade my destiny and who knows.....maybe the Emperor of Ardos would fall in love with me." And when she laughed so innocently after thinking the absurdity of her statement even the emperor did not had the heart to refute.