The light of the study flickered as Bernat slammed his fist on the wooden desk before him, his face a mask of fury. The air crackled with tension as he gazed at Barbara, who stood resolute, waiting for her angry father to speak.
"You went to him, didn't you? You went to Kaisar, demanding a dissolution of the marriage offer!" he thundered, his voice echoing off the walls.
Barbara held her ground, refusing to flinch under her father's wrath. "Yes, I did," she began, unwilling to deny her actions. "I will not be wed to a man I don't know, especially not one backed by Lord Noble. This is madness, Father," she added with a firm tone.
"Madness?" he spat, incredulous. "You call securing our family's future madness? Do you have any idea what's at stake here?" He threw a crumpled list toward her, the parchment trembling in his fury. "Look! Look at the benefits this union brings: political alliances, financial stability, power! All for you and your future!"
