The powerful Elsass family stood before King Antonius Castell III in the royal palace, awaiting judgment. The air was thick with tension as the king addressed them, his voice cold and unforgiving.
"Lord Dominik Elsass," he began, "you attempted to poison me, and for that, you and your family must face punishment."
Lord Elsass immediately fell to his knees, his voice trembling as he pleaded. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry, but—"
"Did I allow you to speak?" the king interrupted, his icy tone cutting through the lord's desperation.
Lowering his head further, Lord Elsass murmured, "No, Your Majesty."
"Then why did you interrupt me?"
"I apologize, Your Majesty."
The king let silence hang in the room, stretching the tension to a breaking point before continuing. "Attempted regicide usually warrants the death of the entire family."
Lord Elsass's eyes widened in horror, but he bit his tongue. A glance at his family behind him silenced any potential outbursts. His glare lingered on his unruly daughter, Valeria, silently commanding her to keep quiet.
The king's gaze swept over the room, his voice taking on an air of mock generosity. "You have served me well, Lord Elsass, and I am feeling merciful today. That is why I will spare your life."
Lord Elsass exhaled a shaky breath of relief and pressed his forehead to the cold marble floor. "Your Majesty, you are the greatest, the most magnanimous ruler, and—agh!" His words were cut short as the king unsheathed his sword and, in one swift motion, severed Lord Elsass's arm.
The man collapsed to the floor, clutching his bleeding stump in agony. His wife, Isabell Elsass, screamed and rushed to his side, her sobs echoing in the chamber.
"Lord Elsass, did I not just instruct you not to interrupt me?" the king remarked coldly, wiping the blood from his blade. "Consider this your first and only warning."
Lord Elsass writhed on the floor, sweat beading on his pale face as the king continued. "Now, as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted, I will spare you and your family—on one condition." He paused, letting his words hang ominously. "You will give me your daughter."
All eyes turned to Valeria Elsass. Her dark brown eyes, almost black, widened in disbelief. Before she could even process what was happening, her father spoke, his voice trembling with desperation.
"She is yours, Your Majesty. Just spare me… spare my family." The words came through gritted teeth, his focus solely on saving his own skin, sparing not a single thought for his daughter.
"Father!" Valeria gasped, her voice trembling. "What… I cannot marry him!" She could hardly believe the betrayal.
"Valeria, be silent and let the adults speak!" Dominik hissed out in pain, glaring at her with desperation and fury.
But Valeria refused to back down. "I am an adult, and this concerns me!" She stepped forward, bowing her head with forced composure. "Your Majesty, I apologize, but I cannot accept your proposal. I am set to inherit my father's title and become the next Lord—or rather, Lady—of Elsass. Marriage to you would create a conflict of interest."
Valeria's voice wavered, but she held her ground, even as fear churned in her gut. She had anticipated this, though not so soon. Days earlier, she had discovered a letter in her half-brother Maximillian's room. The letter was addressed to the king and promised Maximillian's loyalty in exchange for his support in becoming the next Lord of Elsass. Maximillian, her elder half-brother, had always resented her. Jealous of her accomplishments, he had seethed when their father chose her as heir. To him, the title was his birthright, and Valeria's success was a humiliation he could not bear.
Maximillian's hatred had reached its peak when he betrayed their father's assassination plot, exposing it to the king in a bid to secure power for himself. Yet, instead of granting him the title, the king had turned his sights on Valeria, leaving Maximillian silently fuming in the background.
The king's voice pulled Valeria back to the present. "This was not a request, little girl. You will marry me, or your family will face execution. Marriage to me is the punishment for your father's treachery."
Valeria tried another tactic, her voice trembling as she forced a smile. "But, Your Majesty, marriage to you would not be a punishment, it would be an honor. I cannot accept such an honor after my father's foolish mistake. It would be undeserved."
The king chuckled darkly. "Flattery, is it? Clever. But it won't save you. Your choice is simple: marry me, or watch your family perish." His icy blue eyes bore into her, his amusement replaced with cold resolve.
Valeria froze, clutching the fabric of her skirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her father's voice, strained with pain, broke the silence. "Valeria!" he barked, his glare filled with desperation. Her mother, pale and tearful, looked on as if silently begging her to comply.
Valeria's heart pounded as she weighed her options. She could refuse and let her family face the consequences of their actions, risking her mother's life alongside them. Or, she could accept the king's demand, sacrificing her own freedom to protect them all.
Why didn't the king simply kill her father and be done with it? It would be the most direct way to seize total control over her family's lands once he then gave over the title to Maximilian who would be loyal towards the tyrant king. Why did he insist on marrying her? Valeria saw nothing special about herself to warrant such a scheme.
Her mind raced as she stood at a crossroads, torn between her pride and the looming threat of her family's destruction. Either way, the cost would be unbearable.