The Princess Who Walked Away

The border at Qianrin is under attack, and Gretta Ely goes to the emperor to ask for a decree sending her there as a bride to hold the alliance. The emperor does not follow her reasoning. She has been beside Crown Prince Hades Maverick since they were children, ten years of it, and whenever he was in the capital the two of them were hardly apart. There was talk about her at court. He paid the talk no attention and asked to marry the younger sister of one of his own guards, and to make her crown princess. After that Gretta stopped expecting anything from him. She holds to the request, and the emperor, with some hesitation, names her Princess of Qianrin. The wedding is set for seven days out. The crown prince is still sure that the girl he grew up with would never leave him, and no one has told him about the decree.