The Marquis quickly stepped in front of his son, pleading for the Prince’s forgiveness. “It is all my son’s nonsense! I beg for the forg-
Iveness of Your Highness and the Princess–to–be! I will take him away at once and discipline him severely!”
He was quick to change his tune. But Prince Adrian was not finished with them.
He
“I believe I heard the young lord say he wished for the Marquis to use his military honors to trade for a marriage decree?”
“But I heard from my royal brother that the Marquis already used his last military honor to save his daughter–in–law’s family from
execution.”
“It seems the Marquis’s merits have been all used up.”
Julian’s face went deathly pale.
Eva’s brother and his wife had caused a man’s death. The Grand Court was set to punish the murderers according to the law. At that time, Julian still had feelings for Eva. Seeing the wife he had fought so hard to marry weeping hysterically, he couldn’t stand
- by. He convinced the Marquis to use his military honors as a price to beg the Emperor for mercy
The Marquis and his son finally left. My parents hosted a grand feast for Prince Adrian. He drank every cup of wine my father offe red him without a moment’s hesitation. As I left the hall, I could still hear his slightly slurred voice, making solemn promises to my
father.
5
On the day of my wedding to Prince Adrian, no one from the House of Blackwood attended.
I heard that Eva had become pregnant, but her husband, who had been so eager to divorce her, did not want the child. The old Mar- quis, however, disagreed. As worthless as Eva was, the child was of Blackwood blood. The argument exacerbated the Marquis’s Injuries, and he became bedridden.
In an instant, the sycophantic young nobles who had surrounded Julian vanished. The merchants who had sought to curry favor with his house disappeared.
Hearing that his sister was about to be cast aside, Eva’s brother and sister–in–law, fearing the loss of their powerful backing, resort- ed to their old tricks and caused a massive scene at the estate. This time, Julian showed no mercy. He ordered their legs to be broken and had them thrown out. When Eva tried to intervene, she was shoved to the ground in the struggle.
The unborn child was lost
The Marquis, upon hearing the news, coughed up blood and never woke up again.
The Emperor was furious. He rebuked Julian for being unfilial and disloyal. On the seventh day after the Marquis’s death, he stripp- ed the House of Blackwood of its title.
Julian Hart was a commoner.
2015
Just after the New Year, Prince Adrian and I prepared to return to Lyria. With my grandparents there to look after me, my parents were not sad at all, instead urging us to have children as soon as possible.
I waved goodbye to them.
As the carriage began to move, I saw a thin, solitary figure.
Julian was standing in the snow, his eyes filled with a bottomless sorrow.
His voice drifted on the wind:
He said, “Seraphina, I regret everything. I beg you, don’t go-”
Without a flicker of emotion, I drew the curtain closed and nestled into Prince Adrian’s arms.
The Dowager Consort had already sent a letter, saying she had prepared my favorite sea bass, and was just waiting for me to come home.
(The End)
The
