Stolen bride- Rebirth of abandoned duchess

Banquet

"My dear subjects, I know it must have been quiet surprising for you to be summoned at such a short notice. Today's celebrations are to celebrate Lady Layla's birth anniversary and to have her debut in the imperial palace."

The imperial princess further continued as the King took the throne along with the Queen that many were too shocked to see.

"As many of you must be aware that my imperial mother- her majesty the queen has been extremely ill for several years and it was only a month ago that Lady Layla who had only learnt alchemy at her home by herself invented a medicine that treated her majesty to the extent that she can attend this banquet tonight.

It is to express the gratitude of the entire nation that for Lady Layla's meritorious service she is granted the honor to become the adopted daughter of the imperial monarch."

When a favor was given haphazardly it was always a double edged sword, at the surface people appreciated and seemed to admire yet beneath it hid the evil side where they waited for a person's fall so in this life Layla would not build her worth based on people's pity or admiration.

Why would the emperor who had his hands merged in politics and blood help her to a large extent?

She must be of some use, she could not be her past self who lost everything and ran away like a coward. The alchemy and medicine which were not appreciated and considered lowly by her father must now be used so that she can have a high value, Layla treated the queen and had requested the King that she wished to be adopted under his name.

The Princess of Everdale would be controlled by Everdale yet the Princess of Avesta who was already sold to Ardos shall have already fulfilled its purpose.

The imperial declaration was made yet the people seemed to be dissatisfied.

From one minister to another, the supposedly secret information that the bride of Grand Emperor Zeyphyr was already chosen and will be announced at the imperial celebration was passed down the aristocratic circles of Avesta and the nobles who came to attend the royal banquet flocked the imperial palace.

Despite the dangerous situation many females of high ranking officials have registered their names that they wished to get married to the Emperor of Zeyphyr clan so they have all came to see who would be finally chosen.

Carmine locks that shone in the glimmering lights of the palace swayed with the wind as those rosy irises glimmered when she walked in the middle of the ballroom bowing to the King and Queen. There were only a few that did not recognized the female that shone like a moon fairy yet they were quite unfamiliar with her smiling so exquisitely.

"Infront of your majesties, the father and mother of the nation I would hereby like to pledge my devotion and take an oath to protect my motherland of Avesta and for this matter I would like to seek you blessings to enter Ardos as the bride of Emperor Icarus Zeyphyr.

I have heard the heroic tales and the legend of Ardos's rise thus could not stop my heart to be inclined to explore the empire along with taking care of both our citizens as the daughter of Avesta and the guardian of Ardos.. may your majesty grant this wish of mine."

There was a stunned silenece which was broken by the King agreeing heartily. When such words were uttered it became clearer than skies of summer that Princess Layla was already chosen as a consort of Grand Emperor Zeyphyr and it was only an etiquette that was being followed now, since a daughter would never seek her own marriage in the noble house let alone the daughter of Duke Everdale.

Then Duke Damien and the young masters have already sought for this arrangement- truly they were the most prestigious nobles in the empire with such talented sons and two ladies of excellence.

Now the adoption by the king which was rarely done also became clear.

Mostly the ones taken under the wings of the imperial monarch were sons from prestigious high ranking households that the king trusted enough and very rarely daughters yet this one time it all surpassed the visions and thinking of the people.

"Duke Everdale congratulations, you have such a prodigious daughter."

"Your highness Duke you must be so proud and rightfully so."

"It is such an honor to make your acquaintance young master."

"Your highness duke, Princess Layla must be the pearl in your palm, it must be so difficult to part ways, afterall Ardos is very far away."

Congratulations and greetings flowed like an unbound stream to Damien and his sons as they were frozen in their movements. The daughter that was the foundation of Everdale ducal house left and in such a way that even her last name was changed from Layla Everdale to Layla Avesta.

Duke Valentine had said to Layla that she had no where to belong and she was sold off by her father so she sought out the biggest bidder she could get for herself in turn and rather belonged to a place where even her bones might not remain intact.

Jeremiah had never felt such a rage in his life,the more she tried to run away the more he wanted to possess her now.

Part 2 will be out asap