It Was Just a Contractual Marriage

As the sole surviving member of a fallen imperial family, Princess Elise faces an impossible reality. Stripped of her kingdom and hunted by those who destroyed it, she must do whatever is necessary to stay alive until the day she can reclaim her empire. To secure her survival, she enters into a calculated marriage of convenience with the archduke of an enemy nation—a man whose very bloodline commands the ancient power of dragons. The terms of their union are as cold as they are absolute. As a dragonborn, the archduke requires an heir to carry on his formidable lineage, and Elise has promised to bear his child in exchange for his protection. She views him strictly as a tool for her survival, a strategic piece in her long game to restore her lost throne. Yet, beneath the rigid boundaries of their contract, unsettling questions begin to surface. He agreed to this arrangement out of necessity, devoid of any genuine affection for a princess of a conquered realm—or so she tells herself. But as they navigate the treacherous politics of his court, Elise is forced to wonder whether the archduke’s feelings truly remain as detached as their agreement demands.