Stolen bride- Rebirth of abandoned duchess

Visitor of dark- Bride of Icarus

The twin princesses of Everdale ducal house were born on the same date yet their birthday were celebrated with a gap of a single day since it reflected the sincerity for both of them by their family.

In the courtroom where ministers discussed various matters infront of the monarch, Damien announced a ball to be held on Layla's birthday yet the emperor surprisingly refused any such occasion as he said in heavy words-

"Indeed it is a very special occasion for someone I adore like my own child. There will be an imperial ball on that date."

It would not have been such a big issue since Damien could always schedule Layla's birthday celebrations in the morning whereas the imperial ball was meant to be held at late evening yet the ruler this time did not gave him any face and discarded the suggestion making several ministers wonder if the Duke had made the Emperor unhappy.

For Damien whose letters were never answered and for Karl whose meetings with Layla were twice refused it was already a setback but Leon who tried to sneak into the secondary mansion and returned even after Layla saw his face and refused to talk it was like a spiral abyss where he reflected on his own behavior of what he did and how he acted...it was shameful.

Marianna when asked to choose a dress for her birthday did not even looked at them properly and told simply that they could treat her as she had already died long ago. If they could not treat her sister who loved them so selflessly well, then she was an awful person to begin with..so they better not get her entangled.

"House Everdale has no daughters from now on. Now that I think it through it would have been better if we died with our mother."

"MARIANNA!" But Damien's wrath had no effect on the woman who simply smiled.

"She will be much happier without us so this time even if it makes me insane knowing that she is slipping away from my grasp I will let her go to her true destiny. You all have fed upon her enough already!"

It was Layla that held their family together for so long and thus without her it had started producing cracks in their relationships.

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It felt lighter and for god knows what reason she felt happy as she hummed a melody. It was her birthday already and this time her child had not died, she did not have to stay with duke Valentine anymore and must not see the faces of her father and brother......she even had edible food to eat so she could have a full meal.

But along with her it was Marianna's birthday too.

She could not sleep at all as she thought about her.

"Happy birthday Anna." Layla said that to no one in particular and the sound that escaped her lips soon died in the silence of the night.

"Exquisite." A masculine voice whispered as she felt a presence behind her.

Glimmering rosy irises widened in fear as Layla jerked up in her bed trying to get away stumbling in the process. A hand soon wrapped around her waist steadying her as dark irises gazed into her own.

Fear gripped her thinking of the time when Jeremiah used to walk into her chambers, she did not want that...not anymore thus she desperately searched for a sharp weapon before her voice gave out and she could not even scream.

"Don't cry little honeybee, isn't it your birthday tomorrow, here hold it."

A tiny little kitten with pure snow fur who had its eyes closed as if in a deep sleep was settled in her hands and she for a moment was so confused that she looked at the masked intruder who resembled an assassin and then at the kitten, repeating the process with teary eyes making her vision hazy.

It was simply an awkward situation where even if she wanted by all her heart she could not fathom and had the wish to scream anymore so when she was settled down with the kitten in her hands she kept sniffling and looking at the gift she got without caring on whose lap she was and about the hand patting her back as if to make her hiccups stop.

"Its a snow tiger whose mother was killed by the hunters, it really needed a mother."

It was a baby!

Layla after several moments looked at the golden eyed man dressed in black, then down at where she was sitting and later at his hands that were around her waist and sprang up in action after seemingly waking up from a slumber.

"May I know who are you sir?" Polite yet dignified, Layla tried to appear strict but because she was going to sleep she wore a yellow dress laced with pretty flowers in silk and the male did not took her even a bit seriously because of how adorable she looked with two braids and a flowery dress like that...she looked like a flower fairy.

"I am a commander of Ardos." Layla's breathing stopped for a moment but when she again met his molten sapphires there were no gentle feelings in her eyes anymore, disappointment and resentment was severally evident in them.

What did she think even....how can he be the emperor himself.

It was just a commander.

Why would the emperor whom she never met before would come to meet her...after all this why did she expect anything.

"My lord is an old man..."

"I would beg the commander to not insult his majesty as such ever. Now that I am marrying to him, an insult to his honor is an insult to mine."

After that she bowed expressing her thanks for the gift and asked him to depart and never cross the line with her again since she was going to be married off to their king.

"Princess Layla, I am a commander of Ardos and my name is Icarus Zeyphyr."

"Enough of your words and lies commander, I want you to leave." Icarus looked at the woman and smiled genuinely after a long time as she turned around to go away from him.

"I never lied to you princess, I am Icarus and I am older than you so in case if what I said was all true then tomorrow at the ball you must obey me."

Pink cheeks and a sore nose coupled with blush spreading from her ear to neck, she did not cared anymore as she took the tiger and went to sleep as the male was still standing.

Layla's woven protective charm that she gave to Damien