Stolen bride- Rebirth of abandoned duchess

Into the capital

The male when he had looked at the pale wrists that were bruised felt maddened with fury for those carmine irises were so pure that it made him lose the touch with reality and feel carnal thus he without any abandon had grasped them close to his lips and marked with his love bites, tracing and then licking over the skin like a predator.

"Do not cry ever again Layla. Do not cry until it is for me."

The irises turned scarlet before resuming their original glamour of golden in a blink and Layla felt as if there was an illusion that she had seen. There was some sort of an obsession that he had with her, as if looking at her face but seeing past and visualizing someone else and feeling an undecipherable emotion for them.

He did not asked questions and even pretended to be indifferent to her sorrows as if a barrier of glass separated their souls from one another when in reality the guards were brutally punished and he himself now guarded Layla.

That was the last conversation they had after which Icarus despite providing all the comfort and things to make her happy along with the baby snow tiger entertaining her, he himself refused to meet the princess of Avesta until they had reached the capital city of Ardos- Vaream.

The insignia of strength, power and above all the blessings of the great mother goddess that governed the realm of mortals, and was the chief patron deity of Zeyphyr clan, her temple along with the entirety of high class nobles of Ardos were situated here.

Stallions guarded the Princess's carriage in the heavily crowded path that was filled with citizens that waited for the return of their monarch and his bride yet with the orders of the ruler they were refused even a glance of Layla although she could still see the enthusiasm, the love of the people thrumming in their eyes as they glanced at the male that lead the procession.

Today she was going to be married to a man she felt was extremely dangerous.

The carriage only stopped when they had already entered the fortress securing the imperial palace and when it opened the person who offered her his hand was also the one that met her eyes once again.

"Layla, welcome to Ardos." He watched her face for certain moments before forcing away his gaze.

It was said that the respect of the Empress was always intricately linked to her Emperor. They way their relation flourished was also the way the aristocrats and servants shall treat the empress thus Icarus did not wished to have any such impression that would make her suffer more.

"All Hail the Grand Emperor and the crown princess!" Layla till the time had not addressed her oath shall only hold the title of crown princess of Ardos yet since the sovereign showed her his respects then the people too shall address her with her title so when she was lifted and helped down from her arduous journey there were multitudes of maids that waited to serve.

Just that there was very little enthusiasm for the seeming wedding of the monarch, it was as if they had seen such farce many times and now had given up hopes that Icarus shall ever choose a wife yet this time god knows why he was not so lax.

When the servants came forward to lead Layla the male with a flick of his fingers dismissed all of them.

"I will myself show you your chambers."

They walked side by side crossing the hallways with little words ever spoken. The palace of Ardos was one that did not resembled any other, embellished in white with jade carvings did not seemed of the era that they lived in.

There were several ponds filled with swans as they crossed the fields and soon one of the grand wings belonging to the absolutely no one was in sight, it was maintained with such exquisite royalty that even the emperor's chambers were nothing in comparison.

"That is the only place in the entire imperial palace that you are not allowed to visit princess, else everything belonging here is yours just not that."

"Does it belongs to someone close to your heart...does it belongs to Queen Zeyphyr?" Icarus did not smiled at that but could only look at those doors with longing and some sort of hatred.

"that belongs to this emperor only".

Layla as expected wasn't lead to it and after crossing it came across the crown princess wing. The female servants that were inside waiting quickly retreated giving the couple privacy.

It was an arena which was comparable to the most luxurious of the imperial mansions back in Avesta thus Layla simply bowed down expressing her gratitude.

"This is too much-"

"Come here." When Layla looked up confused there was some sort of panic in Icarus's expression as he clutched her shoulders steadying her.

The necklace that Layla wore had turned azure.