The woman looked far away to the infinite horizon as her maid collected the heaps of letters that have accumulated onto the desk and put them away before wiping it with a cloth and stacking the tiny place with books containing the knowledge of herbs and alchemy.
"Lady, the duke and young masters have sent a letter today too..do you want me to......""No, just throw them away.""Duke Valentine has expressed his wish to come and visit you once before departing to the border areas."The delicate female did not answer but rather looked outside at the sun that was burning somewhat soothingly in the color of ruby before dipping below the aqua waters of the ocean.Layla sighed and without her knowledge tears gathers as dew drops on her lashes yet maybe with time she had become so stubborn and habitual to abuse that she refused to let them fall. It happened to be the death anniversary to the only one being that she had come to love and has lost so suddenly.She asked the disappearing sun god if she could hope and pray for someone's brutal death...if only she could curse Duke Valentine to perish in the war with arrows piercing his body and never return again. If this was a sin to wish death upon someone..."Ask him to come." Come and see what have you done to my soulHow deeply am I wounded that even a rebirth could not fix the painMay lord give you a similar anguish that I once had to go through.When Jeremiah arrived at the secondary mansion it was a significantly quiet place filled with white roses blossoming magnificently at the garden, there were only a few commoner's houses in the capital that did not understood what did they represent and planted them mistakenly yet others avoided such a bad omen that was symbolic of mourning. Nobles were heavily particular about them and did not do so yet he did not believe in such superstitions and thus could not care less about why Layla did that.The mansion did not had many servants and workers and was managed by only a dozen of them thus when Jeremiah was guided to the front parlor and not to his fiancée's chambers it appeared more intentional than a mistake."My apologies for keeping the duke waiting." Layla sat down with dead set eyes and looked at him as if wondering about his purpose of visit making it seemingly clear that he wasn't welcome here."I have come since I wish to discuss something with your ladyship......a meeting was arranged by the elders of house Valentine and they have come to a conclusion that before I go to the front borders in two months......we must spend a night together. They do not approve of you living away from the Valentine mansion."Blue irises locked with the rose ones and Layla for the first time could not hide her heart and the emotions that were buried deep splashed on the canvas of her face."What did you say?""As the duties of this engagement you must produce an heir." She gritted her teeth in rage as contempt filled eyes glared into Jeremiah's soul as the man said those words."Such a bastard" Hearing the woman curse himself, duke Valentine at first only tried to maintain his calm yet when Layla called a maid to send him out and she herself stood up to leave he could not control his temper anymore."You are my fiancée Layla! It is a woman's duty to share her husband's bed so what is so wrong in that or is it that you have already dirtied yourself-" A loud sound echoed through the chamber making the maids tremble and retreat. Princess Layla Everdale, a woman dared to slap a man and that too it was Duke Valentine. The male stood silently with his veins bulging as he glared at her before his lips moved."Duke Everdale your father has already sold you to me, even if you dislike this engagement you cannot break free since you Layla Everdale has no place to belong." After that when the male retreated no servant dared to approach him.For god knows how long Layla kept standing at the same place, frozen, staring at the wall without saying a single word, the maids knew better and did not disturbed her thus when the room was locked no one came out and asked if she was alright.They could be loyal to the princess of Everdale yet they were more true to their real master the Duke of Everdale.Shivering hands poured some water in a cup but at the end it was a mess, she took huge gulps not realizing that the water was dribbling down the corners of her mouth.In her previous life too she was a machine of the Valentine duchy, an unfeeling animal like creature without emotions that once Duke Valentine wished to sleep with and told her to give birth to an heir for him. She was so young and foolish, even if none could love her but maybe she hoped that she would be capable enough to love her child so she finally agreed because she had no where to go. It was her hope to survive.If she pleased her fiancée maybe he would treat her better.The process used to be painful, each week he used to enter her bedroom and simply leave after the sex. When she finally got pregnant it was such a relief that she would not be touched by the man anymore. She did not felt anything from it but was just in the hurry as she closed her eyes tightly till he was done.Yet the moment her belly swelled with a child she got hate from all the sections of the society because she was still unmarried and an engagement could be anyday broken.After that- Layla closed her eyes and sat down in fetus position as she put her hands on her ear and wept sadly."My dear""My sweet baby" "Just open your eyes my love." Desperate pleas escaped the lips of the woman that clutched onto a heap of dead and decaying lump of flesh as she screamed with snot and tears running down her face.After all that anguish, at the end where she hoped every insult would be forgotten was the day when she miscarried.It was the same day in spring that she miscarried in her previous life.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 Everdal
Emperor of Avesta had sent a portrait of the lady who expressed her desire to marry the Grand Emperor of Ardos with a negotiation deal, but along with it there was also a very personal letter that was solely addressed to Icarus and not to his council that was seated in a military camp at the border of Avesta.The cabinet read out what was stated in the agreement- that Princess Layla, the daughter of Duke Everdale was a very dignified woman and hundreds of other such things, along with it there was a dowry offered befitting that of an imperial princess in exchange of familial relationship based on a matrimony. All in all, the king of Avesta wanted Layla to be married off well- duke Valentine had tendencies which were in the process of turning abusive, Damien was too worried about the duchy's pride and his sons were incompetent to decipher human emotions. It was better to be Ardos's queen than Avesta's daughter.Icarus unknown to such things paid little attention to the layman details
"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 wh
"All Hail the Grand Emperor!" There was the monarch of Avesta sitting on his throne yet when the announcement was made it echoed akin to someone that had a stature even more magnificent than tens of rulers combined had arrived and the King of Avesta dared not be offended despite feeling that he was in a situation which he had never thought of.How can an enemy barge into his royal palace uninvited?A similar shock was resonating among all the people present yet the ladies could only gasp and the gentlemen could only watch without breathing. It was never said that Sovereign of Zeyphyr would be visiting in person, was it someone's challenge to him that he was answering?Only the female standing in the middle of the ballroom or the Emperor himself could decipher that.The nobles parted like the red sea paving way for the Grand Emperor and his train of delegates that have personally come to the birthday celebration of Princess Layla. They did not know what to say, was this a great honor o
With the end of the celebration banquet multitudes of splendid gifts piled up for Princess Layla but the only one she really chose among all of them was a simple book that was heavier than its normal counterparts sent by Marianna. Since Layla would be living for a week at the imperial palace before she had to go to Ardos, Damien and others could not talk to her to express their like or dislike over her decision.It was only Marianna that was given special permission by the imperial princess to meet her tomorrow in the palace.The book was a little rusty by sides and had old pages that turned yellow over the course of time yet it seemed to be a historical chronicle of many nations that once existed and many that have already ceased to exist. Layla smiled skipping over to the history of Zeyphyr since Ardos was a new nation and this old text might not have it.The female skipped the pages happily before her eyes came across a figure that made her smile falter and after reading about it
"May God Narairis bless your majesties with health and prosperity." Layla smiled at the King and Queen of Avesta before bowing down for seemingly the last time. A week had since passed and a delegation of soldiers with their emperor have come to receive Princess Layla.A gloved masculine arm with veins making a pattern was offered to the fairy who grasped it and made herself comfortable inside the imperial carriage of Ardos that would make a month long journey to reach the capital of the empire."Is that a gem from the necklace I gave you little dove?" Pale ruby irises that were looking further out of the window now clashed with the golden ones seemingly without any emotion before they regained their composure as the female smiled."Replying to your majesty, the heirloom was quite heavy thus I could not have the opportunity to wear it everyday so I took the earrings and asked a renowned goldsmith to have them carved into a pendant, I hope you will not be angry with me."The previous wo
WARNING 18+ A mansion filled with luxuries at the border town of Ardos was where the entourage stopped and the emperor was so furious that none tried to stop him as he got hold of his bride that was as drunk as him and took her to the mansion with strict command that anyone entering the mansion shall be beheaded. "P-Please....please its so hot." She was fed with a huge amount of wine so much so that Layla could not think straight, Icarus looked at those hazy irises without touching her for he wished to see her being a virgin for the last time. "Please help me." When she cluched his bicep with tears in her eyes the man had enough. He held her up and took her up into his bath. Ruby roses floated on the crystal warm water that has been poured into the gigantic bathtub made up of green quartz. All the types of luxurious bath oils and body scrubs scented with flowery and fruity smells were kept aside of the in a small tray as per the liking of the likes of emperor who had clutched a
The journey had not even proceeded for half a day after Icarus took Layla's innocence when a dark stallion with the crest of Avesta stopped the imperial carriage of Princess Layla. The person sitting on it seemed to be too familiar thus the soldiers did not attacked the intruder immediately.When the one he wished to see did not emerged from the carriage, Damien felt immense wrath thus he climbed down from his horse, opening the coach gate and the first thing he registered was deep carmine irises looking at him with some astonishment.This one time he had thrown all his senses to wind, he cared not what might happen to Avesta's citizens or what might occur in Ardos, hell he did not even give a damn if Everdale ducal house would be charged with treason and held Layla's wrist in an iron grip dragging her down the carriage."Duke?""Father......father please stop." the voice was too urgent as if she did not wished to be seen in such a condition."We are going back home.""My wife is not