The Imperial Messenger's decree set the entire empire ablaze.
Every noble house was thrown into a frenzy. The whispers of Daphne's plight, were now a secondary concern.
The outstanding rewards promised by the Emperor, a governorship, an increase in land, wealth, and titles, had enticed the people, that almost every noble family was applying for their daughters.
"Have you heard?" a Duchess whispered to a Countess over tea. "The Emperor has gone mad! The rewards... they are unimaginable!"
"My seamstresses are working through the night," the Countess replied, her eyes wide with a frantic glee.
"But forget the dresses. My daughter's history tutor just quit. He says the Emperor's tests are beyond anything he's ever seen!"
Meanwhile, in the Empress's chambers, the mood was of a different kind. Her fury from the courtroom had persisted.
Her personal aide, a conniving woman with a silver tongue, knelt before her.
"So many have applied, Your Majesty," the aide said. "They rush like fools to their own demise."
"And so many of them are my own loyalists," the Empress said.
"This competition is a gift. A perfect way to test their loyalty, and to show them what happens when they fail." She rose from her seat, her eyes blazing with a chilling triumph. "They will all fail. Every last one. And that girl... Daphne... she will be first. Have our network begin. Find every weakness, every secret, every rumor. I want to know everything about her."
....
At the Thomas manor, a different kind of storm was brewing. The Duke's family had moved with precision, turning their home into a fortress of learning and training.
Her father, the Duke, oversaw her combat training.
"Every muscle memory you've ever learned, you will now perfect," he commanded. "This is not just about winning. It's about surviving. No one in the empire knows what a warrior you are. This is our greatest advantage."
Indoors, her mother, Lady Elizabeth, was a strict tutor of societal graces. "Your poise must be unassailable, Daphne. The Empress will try to outshine you with her connections, but we will outshine her with flawless grace."
In the library, Finn and Aidan had gathered the vast collection of books. "The Emperor despises ignorance," Finn said, slamming a book shut. "You must know the names of every historical figure, every treaty, every law. Your mind must be a fortress of knowledge that no one can breach."
"He's not just testing your wit, he's testing your will," Aidan added, his voice firm. "We won't stop until you know more than any court historian."
In a world consumed by ambition, Daphne's family was not just fighting for a prize. They were fighting for her freedom and her life. And Daphne, more than anyone else, knew her own heart was the greatest weapon she possessed.
....
Two days later, the Duke's carriage pulled up to the familiar gates of the House of Gad.
The long friendship between Daphne and Lianna meant the families knew each other well, but this visit was far from a simple visit.
The Duke's carriage was loaded with gifts, a sign of their seriousness.
Lord and Lady Gad greeted the Thomas family with a mixture of confusion and hospitality.
Lord Gad, a man of quiet authority, led them to the sitting room. "Your visit is... unexpected, Duke," he said. "With all the commotion in the capital, I thought you'd be otherwise occupied."
"We are, my friend," the Duke replied, "But this is a matter of importance. We have come today for a formal request.
My son, Finn, has long held a deep affection for your daughter, Lianna. We have come to humbly ask for her hand in marriage."
Lady Gad teacup clattered against its saucer. "A marriage?" she gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "Now?"
"With all due respect, Duke," Lord Gad said, his voice laced with suspicion. "The timing is risky. A marriage to your family would be seen as a political move. One that could either elevate my house or see it fall with yours."
Finn stepped forward, "I assure you that my feelings for your daughter are true and unwavering, Lord Gad. This is not a political maneuver. I wish to have Lianna by my side as a life partner."
"Indeed," Lady Elizabeth said, "Lianna has always been a daughter to me. And now, I hope she will be so in name, too."
Lord Gad's gaze shifted from Finn to his daughter. "Lianna," he said, his voice gentle. "What say you?"
Lianna, who had been listening in stunned silence, looked at Finn. She had known he was a good man, but to see him so willing to stand by his family, to fight for his sister's freedom and to want her by his side... it was a display of courage and love.
Daphne walked over to her friend, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "I told you he was a man worth fighting for, Lianna."
Lianna's face flushed a deep crimson. She stood, her voice clear, "I will marry him."
A collective sigh of relief went through the room.
Lord Gad, ever the pragmatist, saw the wisdom in the union. His daughter's heart was won, and with it, a powerful alliance had been forged.
The conversation quickly shifted from a formal proposal to a joyous discussion of wedding plans.
Lady Gad, her initial shock replaced with a mother's excitement, began to speak of dress fabrics and floral arrangements.
"I would prefer a small and intimate ceremony," Lianna said, her hand now in Finn's. "Just our families and a few close friends. With everything that is happening... it feels right to keep it simple."
Finn squeezed her hand, his gaze filled with a fierce tenderness. "And I believe the wedding should be held as soon as possible," he added. "Before the competition begins."
"What? Can't wait a day to call her yours, brother?", Aidan teased him.
Emma giggled, a playful smirk on her face. "Such a romantic, our Finn. He's usually so composed, but Lianna has him reeling with impatience."
"But before the competition?" Lady Gad exclaimed. "Oh, my! It's so sudden! But if it is what my daughter wants, then we will make it happen. My girls will just have to work twice as fast to prepare for her big day."
Finn's ears turned a faint shade of red, but he held his ground, his eyes fixed on the Gad family.
"The timing is of the essence. A marriage contract signed and sealed before the competition is a powerful statement. It solidifies our alliance and shows everyone that we are united."
The Duke and Lady Elizabeth exchanged a knowing glance. Finn's logic was sound. "He's right," the Duke said, a rare smile on his face.
Lord Gad, after a moment of consideration, nodded. "Then it shall be so. There is no need for a long engagement. We can prepare a ceremony in a week's time. We will hold it here, at our residence, and keep it just as Lianna wishes, simple, beautiful, and with only those who truly matter."
Joy spread across the room. The date was set.
A week.
In a world of imperial decrees and political strategies, they had found a small, perfect moment of happiness to hold onto, a quiet fortress of love in the face of a coming storm.