saltedpepper

When powerless, unfavoured Princess Soleia was arranged to marry the newly titled Duke Orion Elsher, she assumed they would find love eventually.

Who knew that her father would send off her husband mere hours later to fight a war?

Soleia was left alone to deal with an impoverished fief, a crumbling estate, and spiteful, vindictive relatives of the Duke who all wished to see her gone. 

She couldn’t leave― there was nowhere else to go. Soleia desperately wanted her husband to return so he could offer her a helping hand. However, when he did, he returned with Elowyn, a woman he claimed was his true love. 

A woman hellbent on taking her place as the rightful Duchess, no matter what she had to do to get Soleia out of the way. 

Mistreated, misunderstood, and miserable, Soleia was eventually thrown out of the estate she helped build.

Fortunately, when one door closes, another one opens. Unknown to Soleia, a man more powerful than her husband had been watching her, waiting for the right time to snatch her into his gilded cage. Duke Elsher had been foolish to let go― but the crown prince of Raxuvia wouldn’t make the same mistake.

***

[Excerpt]

After two long years, Soleia's husband had finally returned home. But he was not alone.

“Your Grace,” Soleia said, trying her best to maintain a calm tone, “welcome home. How were your travels?”

The man remained silent as he stared at her. 

“Oh,” the woman that Soleia's husband had brought back said. “I was just wondering where the servants were. No one has come to greet you since your return. Could you please help us bring―”

Orion tugged the woman back, protectively holding her in his embrace. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at Soleia, his sudden action causing the woman to look confused at him.

“Orion?” she asked, her hands on his chest to steady herself. “What’s the matter?”

“That’s not a servant."  In one swift motion, he threw the sword out at Soleia, only to be stopped by a flash of scarlet and the coppery scent of blood.

***

Prequel to Stolen by the Rebel King.

The Hidden King's Stolen Wife

"No!" Nessa protested with a severe scowl on her face. "Why would she, when she can go to Nedour with me?"

"I can?" Soleia asked, surprised at Nessa's offer. While the other princess was treating her a lot better than before, Soleia hadn't expected such an offer from her. It was tantamount to offering Soleia refuge!

"Of course I can," Nessa said, with all the bravado she could muster. She reached out and gripped Soleia's hand tightly. "I'm Nedour's queen. If I say you can stay in Nedour, who is going to tell me no? It's certainly better than living as a commoner in Raxuvia!"

She glared at Sir Ralph challengingly, daring him to refute her claims. If he wasn't going to be living like a pauper in Raxuvia, he certainly had a lot of explaining to do.

Soleia also turned to stare at Ralph. Nessa had made a lot of good points― and she couldn't in good conscience throw the responsibility of caring for Orion to Nessa without looking back.

Daybreak I