In the days following the unsettling news from Azmariah, Cecilia and Leo found themselves constantly in each other's company.

What began as small, playful quarrels over trivial matters now served as a strange comfort.

Their arguments, while sometimes heated, were no longer just exchanges of sharp words but a way to connect.

Cecilia, ever the stubborn one, was growing increasingly fond of their bickering.

It was the one part of her day where she could let her guard down and be herself.

Leo, on the other hand, found joy in teasing her, knowing that it was one of the few times he could see her smile—

however fleeting it might be.

One morning, as Cecilia was rearranging the flowers on the dining table, Leo walked in with a smirk.

“Really, Cecilia? You’re moving them again? I could have sworn they were fine an hour ago.”

Cecilia didn’t even look up from her task. “They were fine. Now they’re perfect.”

“Perfect?” Leo scoffed, leaning against the doorway. “You’re obsessed with perfection, you know that?”

“And you’re obsessed with irritating me,” Cecilia retorted, finally meeting his gaze.

Her eyes sparkled with amusement despite her words.

“Maybe,” Leo admitted, stepping closer. “But it’s only because I know you enjoy it.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes, but her lips curled into a small smile.

“You’re impossible.”

“And yet, you’re still here,” Leo pointed out, his tone softer. “I must be doing something right.”

As the day wore on, they continued their playful banter, each argument drawing them closer.

It was clear to both of them that something was changing, that beneath their quarrels lay a growing affection neither was ready to admit.

♡♡♡

Meanwhile, tensions between Azmariah and Rivendel were reaching a boiling point.

The strained relations between the two kingdoms were no longer just a matter of politics—

they were a matter of survival.

Rivendel’s court was in an uproar, with nobles demanding answers and solutions.

“They’re making unreasonable demands,” one advisor argued during a heated council meeting.

“We cannot afford to send more weapons.

Our own stores are running low.”

“But we cannot abandon Azmariah entirely,” another countered. “If they fall, we lose an ally.”

Leo sat at the head of the table, his expression grim.

He had never wanted this marriage to be more than a political convenience, but now it was becoming something else—

something he was not prepared for.

His thoughts kept drifting back to Cecilia, to the life they were slowly building together.

The thought of her being caught in the middle of this conflict made his blood run cold.

♡♡♡

Amidst the turmoil, Cecilia began to feel strange.

She was often tired, and the smells of certain foods suddenly made her nauseous.

At first, she dismissed it as stress from the political situation, but as the days passed, she couldn’t ignore the signs.

One morning, she stood in front of the mirror, her hand resting on her stomach.

“Could it be?” she whispered to herself. The realization hit her like a tidal wave—

she was pregnant.

Cecilia knew she had to tell Leo, but something held her back.

Part of her feared how he would react, but another part feared the implications for their already fragile relationship.

Would a child bring them closer, or would it only complicate things further?

But before she could sort through her emotions, news came from Azmariah that forced her hand.

Her father, King Ferdinand, had taken a turn for the worse.

Despite the dangers, Cecilia decided to return home, hoping to reason with him and find a way to ease the tensions between their kingdoms.

The journey to Azmariah was somber, with Cecilia’s mind racing the entire way.

She had once thought of Azmariah as her safe haven, a place of warmth and comfort.

But when she arrived, she found the kingdom a shadow of its former self.

Cecilia was escorted to the palace, but the moment she stepped inside, she knew something was wrong.

The air was thick with tension, and the guards’ eyes were cold and unwelcoming.

Her father’s throne room was dimly lit, the once-grand space now feeling more like a prison.

King Ferdinand sat on his throne, but he looked nothing like the strong ruler she remembered.

His eyes were wild, his hands trembling as he clutched the armrests.

“Father,” Cecilia began, her voice trembling.

“I’ve come to see you, to help—”

“Help?” Ferdinand spat, his voice a harsh rasp.

“You’ve done nothing but betray me, Cecilia. You left us for that wretched kingdom, and now you come crawling back?”

Cecilia’s heart sank.

“Father, I never wanted to leave, but it was for the good of Azmariah—”

“Good?” Ferdinand cut her off, rising unsteadily from his throne.

“You call this good? Our kingdom is falling apart, and now you dare return, expecting mercy?”

Before Cecilia could respond, the guards seized her, pulling her roughly to her knees.

“What are you doing?” she cried, struggling against their grip.

“You will stay here,” Ferdinand declared, his voice cold and detached.

“You are no longer a princess of Azmariah—you are a bargaining chip. Rivendel will give us what we need, or you will suffer the consequences.”

Cecilia’s blood ran cold.

She was a hostage in her own home, her father’s madness and desperation driving him to unimaginable cruelty.

Back in Rivendel, Leo was informed of the situation.

The message was clear—

Azmariah demanded more weapons than originally agreed upon, and if Rivendel refused, Cecilia would remain a prisoner, at the mercy of a mad king.

Leo’s heart pounded in his chest as he read the letter.

His first instinct was to gather his army and march on Azmariah, to take back what was his.

But he knew that would only lead to more bloodshed.

He needed to find a way to save Cecilia without sparking a war.

But time was running out, and the stakes had never been higher.

Would he sacrifice his kingdom’s safety for the woman he was starting to care for, or would he find a way to outmaneuver the desperate king of Azmariah?