y morning filtering through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the room. She had never imagined this moment would come so quickly. The gown she wore was

silk felt smooth beneath her touch, yet it was as though every stitch, every thread, was part of a web she could not escape. This marr

rd the door as Gwen entered. Her maid was dress

d softly, her eyes searching Eveline's

ou, Gwen," she said, her voice soft. "But it is a dress for a role, not

hat rested upon Eveline's head. "It is not a battle, my lady. Not in the way

ndure, yes. To accept the weight of her duties and responsibilities. But this was something different. This was a marriage built not on love but on d

er gown, her hands trembling slightly. "Shall I

ed, her voice barely above a whispe

ring she would soon wear on her finger seemed almost too much to bear. The marriage was not just a joining of two people

s about to become Lady Gareth of Blackmoor, a title that came with its ow

rd entered. His eyes softened when they found her,

thick with emotion. "A vision of strength. Tod

er, I... I will do my duty. For Ashford. For you. I will

his hands on her shoulders. "I know, my dear. I know. This is not the life we would have chosen for you, but it

f necessity, not love. He did not see the fear that knotted in her stomach or the way her heart trembled at the t

id quietly, her voice steady despite the c

shall see the union of Ashford and Blackmoor tod

-

Ashford and Blackmoor stood in small groups, whispering among themselves. The air was thick with anticipation, and Eveline fel

om. He was as striking as ever, his black armor gleaming in the light of the torches, his expression as unreadable as it had been when they

th. He was not the man she had imagined. He was more-a warrior, a leader, a man whose eyes seemed to hold a lifetime of pain and regre

lance calculated. She could feel the eyes of the room on her, and for a moment, she almost wished she cou

His gaze lingered for a moment longer than she had expected, but it

quietly, his voice as de

ned everything to stone, and yet beneath it, a pulse of something unspoken lingered. She had never imagined that t

d Ashford, standing with the officiant, spoke of alliances and loyalty, while the priest offered blessing

closeness between them. They were two strangers, bound together by the demands

ame th

presented to her. The priest's words echoed in her ears, a

in all things," she said, her voice steady but distant. "To

red in their depths-a hint of understanding, perhaps. He placed the ring upon h

the vows I have taken, and to stand b

. The vows were not the promises of love or affection, but the pledges of duty-

heart remained heavy. The vows had been spoken, but the bond between them was not yet forged. It wo

ething that might one day become more than just duty. Perhaps, in time, this marriag