Duke Romian processed that. It matched his own observation. When Elara had proposed marriage, she’d been completely clinical about it. No nervousness, no hope, no fear of rejection. Just practical assessnt.
"What about the beast knights?" he asked.
"That’s the interesting part." Marcus pulled out another page. "She treats them better than most nobles treat human servants. Fair wages, actual respect, real authority. She promoted several to command positions and gave them operational autonomy."
"Unusual."
"Very. Most nobles view beast knights as property. She views them as... employees. Assets to be maintained and utilized effectively." Marcus looked up. "Your Grace, if I may speak freely?"
"You may."
"Princess Elara is nothing like the reports from before she left the capital. The Fourth Princess was described as weak, withdrawn, ineffectual. This woman is building a comrcial empire, destroying political enemies, and running intelligence operations. Sothing changed."
Duke Romian stood and walked to the window. "Or sothing was always there, and no one bothered to look."
He thought back to his eting with Elara. The way she’d presented the marriage proposal like a business contract. The complete absence of emotional appeal. The blunt honesty about her motivations.
Most nineteen-year-old princesses would have approached him with flattery, manipulation, tears. Elara had presented a cost-benefit analysis.
It should have been off-putting.
Instead, it had been... refreshing.
"What else?" he asked.
"One more thing, Your Grace. About her mother."
Duke Romian turned. "Imperial Consort i?"
"Yes. I pulled the old files." Marcus opened a worn folder. "Imperial Consort i was a commoner before the Emperor forced her into the palace. Exceptional magical talent—so say nearly equal to the Emperor himself. She focused on experintal magic and civilian applications rather than military or political power."
"I rember. She died when Princess Elara was young."
"Two years old. Official cause was magical backlash from experintal research." Marcus paused. "Unofficially, there were rumors of poison. Several palace physicians suspected foul play, but the investigation was shut down by imperial order."
"The Emperor shut down the investigation into his own consort’s death?"
"Yes. The timing was suspicious—Imperial Consort i died shortly after the current Empress died and First Consort rose to power. So speculated she was eliminated to prevent her daughter from becoming a succession threat."
Duke Romian absorbed that. "And Princess Elara grew up knowing her mother might have been murdered."
"If she knew. The official story was always magical backlash."
"She’s smart enough to figure it out." Duke Romian walked back to his desk. "Anything else?"
"Just one observation, Your Grace." Marcus closed his folders. "Every person we interviewed in Port Crestfall said the sa thing: Princess Elara kept her promises. When she said she’d pay soone, she paid. When she threatened consequences, she delivered them. When she made a deal, she honored it."
"Reliability."
"Absolute reliability. In six months, she never broke a commitnt. Not once."
Duke Romian nodded slowly. That matched his assessnt. When Elara had promised honest communication, she’d ant it. She’d admitted to lying to the court but being truthful with him. That was... rare.
Most nobles lied constantly, to everyone, about everything.
"Your recomndation?" Duke Romian asked.
Marcus hesitated. "Your Grace, I can’t recomnd marriage to a woman less than a third your age. The political optics are terrible."
"But?"
"But if you’re looking for a strategic alliance with soone competent, reliable, and building independent power... she’s an interesting option." Marcus stood. "She’s not what anyone expected. And that might be valuable."
"Thank you, Captain. Dismissed."
Marcus bowed and left.
Duke Romian sat alone in his office, thinking.
Three days until he had to give Elara his answer.
Three days to decide if marrying a nineteen-year-old princess who couldn’t feel emotions but could build comrcial empires and destroy political enemies was the smartest or stupidest decision he’d ever make.
He pulled out the marriage contract Elara had drafted and read through it again.
Separate residences. Independent operations. No expectation of heirs or intimacy. Essentially a political and military alliance with marriage paperwork attached.
It was the least romantic marriage proposal in history.
And yet...
He’d been alone for forty years since his wife died. Forty years of service to an empire that was stable but stagnant. Forty years watching incompetent nobles rise through nepotism while capable people were ignored.
Elara was capable. Ruthlessly so.
And she was honest about what she wanted. No gas, no manipulation, just clear terms.
He could work with that.
Duke Romian pulled out fresh paper and started writing his response.
---
# Scene 8: The First Assassination Attempt
The day before the succession dinner, Elara received an unexpected visitor.
She was in her study, reviewing defensive enchantnt theory, when the fox knight knocked urgently.
"Your Highness. Fifth Princess is here requesting imdiate audience. She says it’s urgent."
Fifth Princess.
Elara catalogued what she knew: younger than her by two years, reputation for beauty rather than capability, generally considered aligned with First Princess Eleana’s faction.
Not soone who typically visited the Fourth Princess.
"Show her in," Elara said. "But stay in the room."
"Your Highness—"
"Stay in the room. If this is an attempt, I want witnesses."
The fox knight nodded and opened the door.
Fifth Princess swept in wearing an elaborate pink gown that probably cost more than Elara’s entire wardrobe. Her hair was arranged in complex braids decorated with jewels. She looked like she was dressed for a ball, not an afternoon visit.
"Fourth Sister!" she said, voice bright and artificial. "Thank you for seeing on such short notice."
"Fifth Sister. What do you need?"
The pleasantness flickered slightly at Elara’s directness. "I... I wanted to talk to you. About tomorrow’s dinner. I’m worried."
"About what specifically?"
Fifth Princess glanced at the fox knight, then back at Elara. "Could we speak privately?"
"No."
"But I have sensitive information—"
"Then speak carefully. My guard stays."
Fifth Princess’s jaw tightened, but she continued. "Fine. Fourth Sister, I know we haven’t been close. I know you probably don’t trust . But I ca here to warn you."
"About?"
"Tomorrow’s dinner is a trap. Eleana is planning sothing. I don’t know exactly what, but I overheard her speaking with Third Sister about ’eliminating problems before they grow too large.’" Fifth Princess stepped closer. "You’re the problem they were discussing."
Elara studied her sister’s face. Looking for tells. Signs of deception.
Fifth Princess looked genuinely nervous. Her hands trembled slightly. Her breathing was elevated.
Either she was telling the truth, or she was an excellent actress.
"Why are you telling this?" Elara asked.
"Because I’m tired of being afraid all the ti. Tired of watching sisters disappear or die mysteriously. Tired of pretending everything is normal when we’re all in a battle to the death." Fifth Princess’s voice dropped. "You’ve been gone for six months. You don’t know what it’s been like here. Eleana has consolidated so much power. Mingzhu operates in the shadows. The rest of us are just... waiting to see who gets eliminated next."
"And you think warning protects you?"
"I think maybe if we work together, we both survive longer." Fifth Princess pulled a small vial from her sleeve. "This is why I really ca. Take it."
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