After the ceremony, the King, the Queen, and the Princess headed back home in their carriage. The King looked at his daughter's worried expression and asked, "What's the matter, Katernin?" The Princess looked up at her father and inquired, "Why him?"

"Because for your safety and the safety of our kingdoms, we arranged this marriage for peace," the King replied.

Despite his words, the Princess sensed the deception but chose not to address it. Upon arrival at the castle, they went to their respective rooms. The princess sat on her bed, lost in her thoughts. She reminisced about a time when her parents were not divided, when her father was reasonable, and when everything was great. However, she knew her nostalgia was clouding her judgment.

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She couldn't shake thoughts of the man who was to be her fiancé and his unlikable relative. But what troubled her more was the lord; she couldn't stop thinking about him. She remembered his expression of fondness towards her and how striking he looked under the moonlight. She desired more of him, yet was hesitant at the same time. For now, all she could do was doubt. She gazed at the ceiling, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.