The empire was formed over a thousand years ago when the first emperor, Fredrik Sundqvist, conquered 4 of the 5 kingdoms in Stuehkie, the land where the sun rises. The future emperor was himself a king who never lacked ambition nor the brans to achieve whatever he put his mind into.
It all started rather amusingly, with an insult addressed to him by their neighbour country who blatantly refused to give their princess's hand to a 'lesser king', as he was considered. The proposal was a noble one intended to cease the disputes between the countries. But it would soon be proved who were the lesser men for the young prince thought to be deeply in love with the princess and was ready to conquer a country for her. Which he did. But he never got the princess.
Or better said he refused her in the end. Her many letters, threatening to punish him for invading her kingdom made him change his mind. And it remained that way even after the princess and her family were defeated but then tried to propose a marriage. Fredrik only laughed.
"Why would I need her as a wife now, when I can have her as my slave. But not even that is my desire for the offspring of people who cannot see the truth before it bends them to their knees, cannot be of my pleasure."
The king had already married a girl of his heart, the daughter of a commander. She took part in the war, treating the fallen men. And one day she treated his injury and later his heart.
Seeing how now he was king of two countries, he turned his eyes to the other three. Be it surprise, be it arrogance, two other countries fell within the following years. And there was only one land left.
For the last kingdom, marriage was proposed but the new emperor was already married and his religion forbade him from taking another wife.
As such, the proposal was instead sent to his best and most loyal man, Ren, the future duke of Timru. As he was still a bachelor, and a desired one at that, the king of the last free land accepted the marriage. And he did not fall like the others, but was permitted to keep his land and rule over them as a loyal subject to the crown. The fifth country became the east dukedom.
Not many knew, hundreds of years later, that it was that proposal that started the tradition of marriage between the dukedoms. Since then, every generation vowed to marry their daughters to one of the future dukes and receive a bride as well. No one dared to refuse to follow this rule. The last duke who refused to send his daughter away lost everything. His title, his land and fortune. In the end he even lost his life. And the five dukedoms became four.
But here he was, the duke of the east, duke Wilhelm Burundi, wondering if the Elsher family would respond. He knew his dreadful reputation, but the duke of the west had to send a bride. He was the only one with not one, but two girls of age. Any of them would do for Lord Wilhelm who just wanted to get over with this business. Their response did not take long to arrive, messaging that their younger daughter would marry the duke.
The lord never met her, not even once, and couldn't even remember hearing about her either but she was to become his wife and the duchess of his land.