Chapter 1: The Marriage of Convenience

Princess Iris Saulelux checked her exquisite dress for the final time. She could barely breathe in this expensive, charcoal-black gown that was lined with small pearls. However, she was told that this was the current high fashion and noble ladies like her should wear this to impress. No matter, the dress was far too showy for her taste and it was also too tight, clinching at the waist to emphasise on her delicate hour-glass figure. She sighed and suppressed the need to run her fingers through her pale, purple-hued hair that was tied up in a neat and elegant chignon.

If anyone caught a sight of her, they would be completely flabbergasted—the Good-for-nothing Princess, first-born of their current emperor, Honorable King Sol and Graceful Queen Vanessa could actually behave like a proper noble lady.

Iris took a deep breath to calm down. Sneaking into the estate of a powerful noble family was really her last resort. Her expressive, doe-shaped blue eyes gleamed with determination as she pumped a fist into the air. She needed to succeed in her mission or her dream of living a long life would perish.

The princess rapped on the mahogany door and waited for an answer impatiently. She was impressed by the tight security in the Dark Mansion, the main residence of the House of Tenebrae. There was no doubt that this clan had produced wonderful and powerful generals every generation. The patrols around the three-storey mansion covered the entire building and left effectively no blind spots. What was even more impressive was the seemingly random way the patrols moved which made it very difficult for her to sneak to the second floor of the mansion even though it was her expertise.

There was no answer.

Strange, Iris was certain that the man she was looking for was in this room.

Impatiently, the princess threw the two doors open, revealing a private office that had married luxury with practical comforts. The dark upholstery seemed to mirror the brooding nature of its owner, who was lazing on a burgundy sofa, sipping whiskey from a crystal glass.

Lord Leo Tenebrae was dressed in a bespoke suit of charcoal-black, almost as black as his short hair. The jacket highlighted his broad shoulders and trimmed waist—a well-proportionate body that was perfectly sculpted and powerful. He glanced at her, astonishment flicking in his remarkably blue eyes so fleeting that she thought she had imagined it.

Her heels sank in soft, rich carpet as she entered the office swiftly, closing the doors behind her.

There was a thick air of hostility in the air.

"How dare you trespass into the home of—"

"—You didn't reply to my invitation," interrupted Iris swiftly, knowing that this was the only chance to speak to him, Leo Tenebrae, the current head of the House of Tenebrae. "I've been wanting to speak to you in private, Lord Tenebrae."

"There is nothing we can speak of in private unless you're offering up your life as atonement for Lady Gracia's death," snapped Leo harshly, his low and slopped brows were furrowed. He slammed the whiskey glass down with so much might that she was surprised that it did not crack.

This idiotic brat!

Everyone knew that Leo Tenebrae was one of Gracia Miller's most ardent suitor. There had been claims that Leo had promised to marry Graica when she was of age. Anyone could see that the rumour that she had caused Lady Gracia Miller's death was nothing but a fabrication to worsen the relationship between the royal family and the House of Tenebrae while directing its Head, Leo Tenebrae to point his sword at her, the good-for-nothing vain princess.

Iris took a deep breath to quell her rising temper. She saw no point in defending herself. The princess clasped her hands together, looking carelessly elegant. "Surely, you're more concerned about the war with Great Angleia. It's the first time in our kingdom that a Tenebrae wasn't asked to lead an army against our invaders. I can help you convince Father to allow you to lead our army."

Leo scoffed openly, his gaze full of heated derision. "You, the bloody embarrassment of the Royal Family, can help me? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Iris unwittingly rose to her full height while maintaining eye contact with the sardonic man. "No, I'm serious about my offer." She sat on the couch opposite the upset noble, unperturbed. She had expected his rage but it did not prepare her for how intimidating he could be. She ignored the way her heart thundered in fear as she took the time to carefully re-arrange her dress. "You and I know that Father only ordered that idiotic nitwit to command the army because he is afraid of you, the Tenebraes."

The princess sighed inwardly. It was foolish of Father to be consumed by his unjustified fear of Tenebraes' influence and militant power when they had been nothing but loyal to the kingdom since their founding.

She knew that she had hit a sore spot when Leo's angular jaws clenched and unclenched several times. He was humiliated when the King had chosen a fool over him to defend the kingdom when his family devoted their entire existence to protecting the country.

Iris took pity on him, softening her tone. "I can convince Father to permit you to fulfil your duty as a Tenebrae in exchange of a condition," offered the princess, resting her clasped hands on her lap almost formally.

For the first time in his life, Lord Leo finally looked at the princess properly. His blue eyes were filled with piqued interest.

Iris smiled faintly, glad that she was making a headway. "Marry me. Marry me and I will convince Father to permit you to command our army and fight against the Angleia."

He simply raised a brow, bewildered. "Why?"

The princess took a deep breath as she considered revealing some of the information she possessed. After some thought, she decided to divulge the news. "Someone has convinced Father into settling for a ceasefire and he has been communicating with Angleia in secret." She took a deep breath and continued. "Angleia wants a princess along with the land they have taken in exchange for peace."

"What the hell?" Leo swore as he leapt on his feet and paced back and forth in the spacious office like a caged beast. He continued to curse under his breath. There was an agile and menacing grace to him that reminded her of the way a panther stalked a prey. The princess had to admit that she was a little intimidated by him. Just like the rest of his family, this man was built in a way that struck fear in his opponents, his muscles lithe and powerful. She would love to spar with him in the future if they were on friendlier terms.

Suddenly, the dark-haired man stopped and stared at her.

Iris unconsciously shifted under the weight of Leo's intense stare, feeling like a specimen pinned by his penetrating gaze.

"Why are you telling me this? His Majesty must have decided to offer you to Angleia," sneered Leo, his lips curling.

"That's very likely," agreed Iris frankly. "After all, Father only has two daughters, Lily and me." She smiled wryly. "But that's not the only reason I'm here. We can win this war, chase those greedy bastards back to their homeland and make them regret trying to invade our kingdom. It's the only way we can appease the soldiers that have sacrificed themselves to defend our home."

There was an inscrutable expression on Leo's face at her impassionate speech. He had never seen this bored, good-for-nothing princess pay sort of attention to the country.

"But you're doing this to save yourself?" Leo clarified, sounding a little uncertain.

"Of course," huffed Iris. "I want to live a long life." There was only solemnness in her honeyed eyes despite her cheerful tone. She had no doubts that she would be sacrificed in this transaction. She would never want to be the princess that was offered since a hostage princess was fated to die a horrible, painful and lonely death.

Leo sneered. "Good. I'm glad that we're on the same page. I want you to live a long life repenting for your sins against Gracia."

The princess resisted rolling her eyes and clapped her hands almost cheerfully. "Good, so you'll marry me?"

The raven-haired noble narrowed his eyes at her. "Prove it to me and I'll marry you."

Iris expelled a breath she did not know she was holding through the discussion. Great, she didn't need to be a political sacrifice for her kingdom. She shoved her hand towards the Head of Tenebrae eagerly, waiting for him to shake it.

He only raised a lone brow, staring at her outstretched hand, baffled.

"General, shouldn't we shake hands to seal this deal?" Iris asked, confused.

"I'm not a general," amended Leo as he sneered. "What does the spoilt princess know about making deals like the common people?" This woman was annoying. Leo ignored her hand and returned to the sofa to finish his drink. He finished the drink in a gulp, trying to wash off the bitter taste of entering into a deal with Princess Iris just to serve his duty as a Tenebrae. He prayed that Gracia would forgive him for working with her murder.

"You'll be a general," stated Iris confidently.

This irritating brat. Iris wouldn't tolerate his terrible attitude if he wasn't so beautiful. He was obviously blessed by the gods and had a face that was crafted on their finest day. She liked chiselled and high cheekbone that gave him a rather delicate and distinguished air. His lips, slightly fuller on the bottom, were thin and alluring. And his jaws, they were sharply angular, ending with an intriguing cleft on his pointed chin—the only flaw on his face which strangely made him more attractive. He also had the most attractive eyes of fathomless blue, framed by lush and curly eyelashes.

"We'll see about that," concluded Leo, pouring himself a generous helping of whiskey.

Iris plastered a convincing smile that obviously did not reach her eyes and nodded idly. "Just wait for my good news then, General. Please don't trouble yourself to see me out," said Iris sarcastically.

The infuriating man remained deliberately and insolently seated, not even bothering with pretense to see his business partner away. Did he conveniently forgot that she had snuck into his home?

She hoped that Leo wouldn't regret his decision of not seeing her off. She shoved the two doors open, whistling a jaunty tune. She sauntered to the closest window, her footsteps muted by the carpet. Without any hesitation, Iris leapt out of the window and landed on the neatly-cut emerald grass nimbly like a cat. She felt Leo's gaze boring on her from the window as she melded into the shadows and smuggled herself out of the estate.

Two hours later, His Majestic, King Sol issued the edict to promote Lord Leo Tenebrae as General and ordered him to take command of the army to reclaim the stolen lands from Great Angleia in two days' time. Initially, the court was puzzled with the delay of General Tenebrae's deployment to the frontlines. The mystery was promptly solved when another earth-shattering announcement was made by the royal family the following day: Princess Iris had married Lord Leo Tenebrae in a small and private ceremony in the Royal Chapel, uniting the royal family and the House of Tenebrae. General Leo Tenebrae was now stylised as His Highness, Prince Consort Leo Tenebrae.

The newly-wedded couple had explained that they had chosen to tie their knot so quickly and privately due to the war with Great Angleia. The lovebirds wanted to formalise their relationship before Lord Tenebrae left for the war. Since it was the Good-for-nothing Princess, the people was unsurprised by the quick nuptial. 

The capital was also shaken by the announcement that Princess Iris was retiring as a royal. The first-born princess, acknowledging her lack of ambition and abilities, decided to give up her rights to the throne, retire as a royal just to focus on taking care of the House of Tenebrae. Accordingly, the newly-married princess would move out of Bloom Palace and live in the Dark Mansion, Tenebrae's main estate. His Majesty, King Sol, out of love for his eldest daughter, had graciously permitted his first-born to keep her title as princess even though she was now effectively Lady Tenebrae.

There was a huge fanfare when Lord Leo Tenebrae rode his handsome white horse to fetch Princess Iris from the Bloom Palace in the morning after the series of announcement. He looked even more dashing, dressed in snowy-white military uniform accentuated with gold epaulettes and gold sash.

It felt like the entire capital had poured to the streets just to watch the newly-appointed General collect his bride from the Bloom Palace despite the ongoing war. The people seemed to forget Princess Iris's terrible reputation and cheered when the handsome Lord Leo graciously helped his radiant bride, Princess Iris up his horse.

Iris naturally played her part as the happy, blushing bride who clung on the waist of her beloved husband as they rode through the well-maintained streets of Light until they reached the Dark Mansion. Some of the crowd had actually followed them by foot to the imposing black gates of the Dark Mansion. The crowds at the gate watched on as trucks bearing the Princess's personal items drove past the majestic gates and entered the Dark Mansion.

The newly-wedded couple only dropped their smiling masks when they entered the master suite, a series of rooms that was set aside for the master and the mistress of the house on the second floor. Iris wasn't surprised to find her new rooms adjoined to his, customary of noble households

They were milling around the antechamber, a small sitting room separating their rooms. The newly-appointed General ran his hand through his windswept hair, his thick brows furrowed. "Let's talk. We've a lot to discuss since I'm leaving first thing in the morning."

"Fine." Iris plopped herself clumsily on the luxurious armchair facing the intricately-crafted marble fireplace. They did not have a chance to speak to each other since their quick wedding in the chapel. She winced when her dress seemed to suffocate her and she sat properly. All the good feeling from surviving the ride to the Dark Mansion evaporated at Leo's clipped tone.

"You agreed to marry me in exchange for the opportunity of leading the army in the war," began Iris casually, leaning heavily against the arm of the armchair. "I guess that means that I'll be your dutiful wife while you're fighting in the frontlines, managing this household and taking care of your father, the former Lord Tenebrae." The princess grabbed the pins from her head idly and tugged them loose. Her silky lilac hair tumbled in waves to frame her heart-shaped face after they were removed from their restraints. She did not bother about her image, carding her hand through her hand several times just to look more presentable.

"What kind of woman did I marry?" Leo muttered distastefully to himself as he rested a hand on his forehead. No respectable woman would undo her hairstyle by herself while having a formal discussion with someone. "Stay away from Father. He has no love for your family," warned the dark-haired man, shaking his head lightly. "Woman, can you undress only after I leave?" He demanded, exasperated.

"Do you know how uncomfortable it is to wear such dresses?" Iris demanded nonchalantly as she stopped abusing her dress.

"For god's sake, it's just so difficult to talk to you," growled Leo, losing his temper again.

"Fine, fine, just take a deep breath. How are you going to win a war with a temper like yours?" Iris countered lazily as she lazed on the armchair again.

Leo scowled at her. If looks could kill, Iris would be dead. He took a deep breath and his gaze became terrifying. "Iris, how on earth did you leave the estate after our meeting?"

"Through the window, then the main gate," explained Iris casually. "Your security is one of the best I've seen but it isn't invincible." She clapped her hand absently. "So I shouldn't make an attempt to take care of Father, do you want me to manage the household then?"

The general raised a brow at her skeptically. "Do you know how to manage a household?" He did not bother waiting for an answer, cutting her off. "Never mind. All I ask is that you conduct yourself as befitting your station as the wife of a noble while you remained married to me. That means no paramours."

"Sure," agreed Iris, bored.

"You don't need to bother your pretty head about the household," said Leo through gritted teeth. "Butler Sebas will handle that. He has been running the household. In return, I will ensure that you've a suitable stipend—"

Iris shot to a proper sitting position, her eyes sparkled with interest. "—How much will that be?"

Leo glanced at her, speechless. This was the first time that the princess had shown so much interest. And all he needed to mention was money.

"Well?" Iris pressed on, staring at him eagerly.

"Enough," blurted Leo gruffly, folding his arms. "Didn't you choose to marry me only to get out of the palace? Technically, I've fulfilled my side of the bargain."

Iris grabbed his hand and gave him her best puppy looks. "Are you truly willing to be so cruel? The house of Tenebrae is the richest, second to the royal family. I've renounced my right to the throne to be your wife, can't you compensate me for losing the royal stipend?"

Leo couldn't help but notice that Iris was actually a very beautiful woman. He cleared his throat, shrugging her hand away from him. "That... That isn't a good reason."

Great, Leo's lukewarm response showed that she could try convincing him.

Iris smiled sweetly, her pert nose scrunched almost cutely. "Well, I was thinking along the lines of employing me as a dutiful wife." She folded her hands neatly in her lap, the very image of a dignified noble woman. "I can look the part."

Leo snorted. "Only if you hold your tongue."

"Besides, now that I've married you, I'd need to socialise with other noble families. Father is less suspicious now that you've married me, his daughter and taken a good-for-nothing woman as your wife. I can help to secure Tenebrae's future by increasing our influence subtly. The court will come to our aid if we play our cards right." She looked at him almost smugly. "Are you certain that you still don't wish to offer suitable remuneration?" 

The general scowled at her as he marched closer to her. "Are you threatening me?"

Iris chose to ignore that provocation, maintaining eye contact with the upset general. He soon deflated when he noticed that the princess would not budge on this matter. "I'd no idea that you had such great love of money," mocked Leo, unimpressed, looking away. "You sound like a peasant."

"And what's wrong with sounding like a peasant?" Iris asked airily, tapping on her chin. "Anyone who tells you that they don't like money must be lying to you. You need money for everything—"

"—Fine, I'll offer you a monthly stipend of four thousand dollars. Additionally, you can ask Butler Sebas to compensate you for any expenses that you incur for the household. Will that be acceptable, Princess Iris?" Leo asked silkily, his jaws clenched.

"Reasonable," agreed Iris immediately, trying to suppress her urge to pump her fist into the air. "I'll be the best Lady Tenebrae that the family has even known."

Leo scoffed, unimpressed. He wandered to the window to look at the gardens below, clasping his hands behind his back. "We've already set the stage that we married each other hastily out of love, so keep that in mind when you interact with others."

"Yes, yes, no paramours," sighed Iris, almost bored. She reclined on the armchair almost sluggishly. "By the way, you're also equally culpable for maintaining the image that we're a happily married couple."

Leo nodded thoughtfully. "Acceptable. I'll not do anything to ruin this image."

"Just one more thing, Leo, and we can conclude our talk." Iris's gaze was surprisingly grave. "I ask that you don't interfere with my matters."

"Sure, why would I want to get involved with your matters?" Leo leered, turning to glare at her. He suppressed the desire to shake his head at the way Iris lazed on the armchair. He marched towards her, his gaze determined. "Let's seal the deal like a common man then." He extended his hand towards her tentatively.

Iris's lips curved to form a faint smile as she grasped his hand and shook it. "Let's have a harmonious working relationship," grinned the princess, her nose scrunched adorably.

He released her hand immediately as if scorched and backed away from her. "Good. Uh, one thing, don't ever enter my bedroom," said Leo, reaching for the button of his starched collar. The military frock could be very suffocating. "No funny ideas," warned the General as he walked towards the set of rooms on the right.

"But this is our first night," reminded Iris causally, looking innocent. "We're trying to maintain the image of a happily-married couple right? What besotted lover would not make love to her husband before he leaves for war?"

"You're so troublesome, Iris Saulelux," grumbled Leo, his eyes narrowed. "I will never sleep with you, so don't even dream of trying to seduce me."

"Sure," agreed Iris, shrugging.

Leo's pride smarted at how easily she agreed to not having any physical relationship. His thick brows furrowed. "I'll handle it. Just stay away from my bedroom," snapped the general tetchily as he stormed into his rooms.

"I guess the rooms on the left is mine," observed Iris idly as she relaxed fully in the armchair. The bored expression faded immediately as her honeyed eyes gleamed. She sat up straight, scanning her surroundings openly. Noticing that no one was around, she slipped a hand into her dress and undid two straps.

Something heavy slipped down her body and fell on the seat. Iris reached under her dress and yanked out a titanium vest away from her body, then sighed, relieved. "This is as uncomfortable as a corset."

She just needed a breather before she had to set up surveillance around her new bedroom to keep dearest Mother out of her hair. The public had no idea that the first-born of King Sol was not of Queen Vanessa. She was a product of the King's youthful indiscretions after he had just taken the beautiful and exquisite Lady Vanessa as his queen. According to Mother, her biological mother had passed on after handing her over to the King. Although Queen Vanessa had formally adopted her, she was still a thorn on the Queen's side because she was born before her daughter, Princess Lily.

Iris saw no need to explain to her new husband about her lineage.