(all information in this chapter and the next chapter are very important to understand the Story ♥️ enjoy)
Irene was studying one of the books she had borrowed from the library when the quiet atmosphere was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"My Lady, I've brought your meal."
She immediately lifted her head at the sound of the voice.
"Come in, Sally."
The door opened cautiously, and Sally entered carrying a tray of food in her hands.
Sally was one of the youngest maids in the palace and among the servants who had taken care of Irene since her arrival. After Fantine, she was the maid closest to Irene.
Sally closed the door behind her and placed the tray on the table.
Before she could say a word, Irene asked directly:
"Are you certain that no one saw you?"
Sally seemed surprised by the question, but she answered quickly:
"Yes. There was no one in the wing."
Irene replied,
"Good."
Sally sensed that something had happened. Irene's expression looked unusually sorrowful.
She hesitated for a moment before saying:
"My Lady... I came as soon as you sent for me. I couldn't wait after Fantine told me that you were going to marry in another kingdom! What shocked me even more was that it would be the king's nephew! I've had a bad feeling about this from the start. I mean, why would His Majesty suddenly choose you for such a marriage instead of one of your sisters, after ignoring your existence for years?"
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Then Irene smiled faintly.
"Calm down a little, Sally..."
Sally let out a small laugh.
"Ah, sorry. I was just very worried, so I'm a little worked up."
Then she continued,
"So... why did you call for me?"
She paused.
Irene looked down at the book in her hands, recalling Arxson's cold words from only a few hours earlier.
Then she said:
"...Today, I knew about the real reason my father chose me for this marriage."
Sally's eyes widened with curiosity.
"Really!? And what is it?"
Irene lowered her gaze to the table.
Then she answered calmly:
"Officially, this marriage is meant to serve as a truce between the two kingdoms, preventing another war between Eiscard and Valerian while allowing both nations to benefit from one another. But the King has no intention of letting this marriage remain what it appears to be."
Sally asked anxiously,
"Then... will your marriage be temporary?"
Irene smiled.
"That's not what I mean. After the marriage, I've been ordered to provide this kingdom with confidential information about Valerian by gaining access to their Royal Council."
Sally froze where she stood.
Irene continued in the same calm tone:
"And if I fail to reach the Royal Council... the King will have me executed."
Sally gasped sharply.
Her hands immediately flew to her mouth.
"That's impossible!"
The shock on her face was unmistakable.
Irene answered without hesitation.
"So I probably don't have much time. Getting into the Royal Council will be extremely difficult—perhaps nearly impossible. But even if I manage it..."
She fell silent for a few moments before saying:
"The moment the King believes I'm no longer useful... he'll dispose of me."
Sally felt her heart tighten.
She had always known the King did not care about Irene, but hearing it stated so plainly was entirely different.
"Oh my God..."
she whispered, looking at her with concern.
"What are you going to do now? Everything you've worked toward these past years to make the King acknowledge you... your entire plan for revenge... will it all disappear?"
Irene looked at her.
Then she said:
"Don't worry, Sally... I had nothing to lose from the very beginning."
Her tone then hardened with determination.
"But I have no intention of surrendering."
The moment Sally heard those words, her eyes filled with tears.
"Why is this happening?!"
Her voice trembled.
"I knew there had to be some horrible reason for choosing you for this marriage. My instincts were right from the start! What am I supposed to do?"
Tears streamed down her face like a waterfall.
Silence followed.
Then Irene rose from her seat.
She approached her quietly.
Lifting a hand, she gently patted Sally's head.
"You're kind, Sally."
She paused before continuing:
"You need to pull yourself together now. There's no time for tears. This is the time to strike. Go and tell Fantine everything I've just told you immediately."
Sally raised her head toward her.
Irene continued:
"And make sure no one sees you."
Then she added:
"Tell her I've been assigned intensive studies and will probably be very busy. But I'll meet with her when I have time."
Sally quickly wiped her eyes.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
Forcing a reassuring smile, she said:
"You can count on me."
...
The next morning, Irene headed to the Royal Library as instructed.
The library was quiet at that hour, and the only person inside was an elderly man standing beside one of the large tables.
As soon as Irene entered, he closed the book he had been reading and turned toward her.
He took several steps forward and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Princess Irene."
Raising his head, he continued:
"My name is George Cathol. I have been entrusted with Your Highness's education."
Irene returned the gesture with a formal bow.
"Good morning, sir. I look forward to learning under your guidance."
The man smiled gently.
Then he gestured toward the chair across from him.
"Please, have a seat."
Irene sat down in front of him.
After a moment, he said:
"Allow me to congratulate you in advance on your marriage."
Irene smiled politely and thanked him.
George did not seem like a bad person. He simply appeared wise and calm.
Like a man who faithfully carried out his assigned duties without involving himself in matters beyond them.
Opening one of the books before him, he said:
"We have much to cover in a short amount of time, and much for you to learn—from the history of Valerian, to the key figures and influential families of the kingdom. I will also teach you how to write coded messages to the Crown. Be prepared to absorb a great deal of information."
Irene replied calmly:
"Very well. Please teach me."
The man placed a book in front of her.
"First, we will discuss a historical overview of the relationship between Eiscard and Valerian."
Then he looked at her.
"But before that... I would like to know what you already understand about the history of the two kingdoms."
Irene thought for a moment.
Then she answered:
"The relationship between the two kingdoms has been tense for a very long time."
She continued:
"And the most recent war between them lasted thirty years, beginning when Eiscard, under my grandfather Arxson I, occupied parts of the southern territories."
George nodded.
So Irene continued:
"When the conflict intensified and casualties continued to rise, the World Council of Kingdoms intervened and imposed a truce to stop the war. Under my father's reign, Eiscard emerged as the kingdom that benefited the most from the conflict."
A look of satisfaction appeared on the man's face.
"Well done. Your knowledge is quite good."
He picked up another book from the table.
"But to truly understand the roots of this relationship, we must go deeper into history."
He slowly opened the first pages.
"Let us begin at the very start. Please turn to the back of the book."
Irene leaned forward and opened the final pages as instructed.
The moment she did, she found an ancient map spread across two full pages.
It looked unlike any map she had seen before.
There were no borders separating Eiscard and Valerian.
Instead, the entire land bore a single name.
George placed his finger on the map and asked:
"Do you recognize this map?"
Irene studied it carefully for several moments.
Then she replied:
"Isn't it a map of Eiscard and Valerian?"
The man smiled slightly.
"Yes."
Then he shook his head.
"But what the vast majority of people do not know is that Eiscard and Valerian were not always separate kingdoms."
His finger moved toward the name written at the center of the map.
"In the past, they were both part of a single great kingdom known as Astera."
Irene looked at the map again.
It was the first time she had ever heard that name.
George continued:
"For several centuries, Astera was ruled under the banner of the Aldraf Dynasty."
He turned to another page containing an ancient family tree.
"But the last ruler of that dynasty, King Aldric VII, married two queens and died without leaving a legitimate heir."
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then he continued:
"With his death, the Aldraf Dynasty came to an end."
Irene asked:
"Isn't it dangerous to leave a kingdom without a king?"
George nodded.
"Yes, it is."
Then he added:
"At the time, Astera was one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms in terms of territory, making it a prize coveted by many neighboring states."
His finger moved along the map's borders.
"The greatest danger came from neighboring kingdoms attempting to seize its frontier lands."
Irene listened attentively.
"So a provisional government was formed to govern the kingdom until the succession crisis could be resolved."
He pointed to two different names in the document.
"The real leadership of that government rested in the hands of two families."
"The House of Eiscard, which was the family of the First Queen."
"And the House of Valerian, which was the family of the Second Queen."
Irene stopped looking at the map.
"So the two queens effectively ruled the kingdom?"
George smiled.
"That is correct. Neither family held authority over the other, and cooperation between them was the most reasonable solution to protect the kingdom before it was too late."
He set the book down and continued:
"Once the border crisis was resolved and stability returned thanks to the efforts of the provisional government, another serious dispute emerged only a few months later—the question of which family should become the rightful royal house."
"Some nobles supported the House of Valerian."
"Others supported the House of Eiscard."
The man sighed.
"And every time they approached an agreement, disagreements resurfaced."
Irene looked at the map again.
"Was it because both families possessed equal power?"
George answered:
"Exactly. Neither side possessed enough strength to eliminate the other."
"In the end, they reached an agreement."
He traced a line through the center of the map.
"The great kingdom would be divided into two."
"The east would belong to Eiscard."
"And the west would belong to Valerian."
He paused before adding:
"Although it was the most practical solution at the time... it did not solve the real problem."
Irene frowned.
"You mean the kingdom had not truly become two separate nations yet, so the struggle for legitimacy continued?"
George smiled.
"Precisely."
He continued:
"Each side considered itself the rightful heir to Astera. Each looked upon the other's lands with ambition. Thus, the conflicts began again. Those disputes eventually evolved into territorial wars, with borders shifting from one generation to the next depending on which kingdom gained more land."
Silence settled over the library.
Then George said quietly:
"That is why relations between the two kingdoms have always remained strained. The last war you mentioned was merely another chapter in a conflict that began centuries ago. However, that war finally came to an end after the rise of the Union of Kingdoms, which established international treaties and powerful laws regulating warfare, effectively limiting the conflict between Eiscard and Valerian."
Irene lowered her eyes to the ancient map.
And suddenly, she understood something.
The marriage being forced upon her was not merely a political agreement between two kingdoms.
It was a continuation of the same struggle—a cold war and another means of carrying on the conflict without weapons.
George stared at the map for several more seconds before slowly closing the book.
He raised a finger slightly.
"That is why the current king was married at a young age—first to Queen Elvira, then Queen Melanie, and finally Queen Leora. Those marriages not only secured the continuation of the royal line, but also greatly increased your grandfather's influence among the nobility. Every marriage connected the royal family to another noble house, and every new alliance brought additional supporters."
He smiled faintly.
"Afterward, your father produced three legitimate heirs and seven daughters."
He paused before adding:
"And every one of those daughters represented another potential political opportunity."
George's voice lowered slightly.
"That is why your marriage is not a coincidence either."
Understanding his implication, Irene said:
"It was planned long ago."
The man nodded.
"Yes. The agreement between Eiscard and Valerian regarding a political marriage has existed for quite some time. The original plan was to marry one of King Arxson's daughters to a member of Valerian's royal family. But the real surprise was the choice of you."
Silence followed.
Then he added calmly:
"After all, the King had a daughter through Queen Elvira and another through Queen Leora. It was widely expected that one of them would be chosen."
George continued carefully:
"Despite Valerian's need for this agreement due to the current political situation, and despite their desire to avoid another war..."
He hesitated briefly.
"...they initially expressed dissatisfaction and claimed that the decision carried a degree of insult."
Silence filled the library.
The man quickly continued, as though carefully selecting his words:
"At that time, you had not yet been formally introduced to noble society, and very little information about you was known. Naturally, some objections arose."
"Ahem..."
To be continued....