Bridal Lessons - Chapter 77
Side Story I
The day of the grand ducal wedding, which reportedly cost more than the emperor’s coronation, was blessed with clear skies. After the ceremony, which was attended by many well-wishers, and as the reception was winding down, the Grand Duke of Lutèce, Iscarion, found himself alone in a room displaying portraits of past grand ducal couples, lost in thought.
Perhaps it was pride in his son’s marriage that brought a serene smile to the faces of the previous grand dukes and grand duchesses in the portraits. The painter must have used a great deal of imagination to create such affectionate expressions, for as far as he knew, his parents had never looked at each other that way in life.
Iscarion, gazing at the portrait, locked eyes with the handsome man who shared his ash-blond hair.
‘Father, are you happy?’
***
Ivar Lutèce, the previous grand duke, had been in an arranged marriage with Princess Deswan. Princess Deswan, the genius daughter of the Emperor of Kylon, was unlike other girls who dreamed of romance with a prince on a white horse.
From a young age, she had shown exceptional intelligence and ambition, dreaming of becoming the next emperor and unifying the entire continent. She sought to eliminate anything or anyone that could obstruct her path, including her twin brother.
The emperor thought that, if the princess ascends the throne, she will surely eliminate those who could threaten her position. Although the bonds of siblings within the imperial family could not be expected to be as affectionate as those of commoners, he still wanted to prevent siblings from turning against each other with swords.
Thus, the emperor made the best decision he could: he appointed Deswan’s twin brother, Clair, as the crown prince instead of her. At that time, the continent was entering a period of peace.
Deswan’s ambitions would likely lead to wars of conquest, which the emperor wished to avoid for the empire’s history. Although Clair was not as brilliant as his sister, he was deemed competent enough to be a ruler who could maintain the empire’s stability.
The princess, infuriated by this decision, raged and ultimately plotted to kill her brother. Though she failed to kill him, she did manage to cost Clair one of his arms. When the emperor learned of this, he banished his daughter.
“Deswan, start a family and focus solely on raising children. That’s your only way to survive.”
Although she could have been executed for her crime of attempting to assassinate the crown prince, Deswan was neither killed nor imprisoned in the dungeons. Instead, she was married off to the young head of the influential Lutèce grand ducal family, with the condition that she must conceive within half a year or face death.
“I made Clair swear before the cross to guarantee your safety and that of any children you bear. So, heed my words and do as I say.”
“Daughter, if you bear more than one child, you will understand your father’s heart. I couldn’t kill you, even though you tried to harm Clair.”
Perhaps still not reassured, the emperor soon changed the law to prevent daughters from inheriting titles and drastically reduced their inheritance rights. He even ensured that for several years, the law could not be overturned in case anything happened to him.
***
“No kissing or any of that nonsense. Just do it until I’m pregnant. Don’t even think about leaving here until it happens.”
These were the first words Deswan spoke to her new husband once they were left alone in the annex to spend their wedding night, following a long ceremony.
Having met formally a few times before their wedding, she had never spoken a word to him or even made eye contact, so this was the first thing Ivar heard her say. How her words struck him, only his departed soul would know.
“Hah, treated like a stud horse from the first night?”
Regardless, Ivar, who was of the same age as her, responded coldly, arms crossed. He had not wanted this marriage either.
He accepted the marriage with the princess out of a sense of duty to his family and his inherited position. Like Deswan, whose mind was filled with ambitions for the throne, Ivar was also a proud and cold man who had never experienced the unnecessary emotion of love.
Thus, their union was mutually unwelcome.
To avoid future troubles… it would be best to intimidate her somewhat.
His eyes, cold as ice, narrowed slightly as he observed her. Although she was a madwoman who had tried to kill her brother and severed his arm, her face was angelically beautiful, and her body was sculpturally perfect.
