Chapter 4: The Battle For Support

The days passed, and the Duke of Setsomer's efforts to gather support for his family's cause began to bear fruit. Nobles and commoners alike began to rally behind him, outraged by the king's decree and eager to support the duke and his family.

But the Prince Kyrian was not one to be underestimated. He had a network of spies and informants throughout the kingdom, and he knew every move the duke made before it was even made.

One day, as the duke was meeting with a group of nobles in a secret location, the Prince Kyrian appeared, his eyes blazing with anger.

"You fools," he spat. "You think you can defy the king's decree? You think you can stand in the way of my marriage to Maria?"

The nobles stood tall, their faces set in determination. "We will not stand idly by while you force a innocent woman into a marriage she does not want," one of them said.

The Prince Kyrian sneered. "You are no match for me," he said. "I have the king's backing, and I will crush anyone who stands in my way."

And with that, he turned and left, leaving the duke and his supporters to wonder what the future held.

But the duke was not one to give up easily. He continued to gather support, to rally his troops and prepare for battle.

And Maria, meanwhile, was not idle. She knew that she had to do something to help her family's cause, and so she began to secretly meet with some of the nobles who had pledged their support to her step father.

Together, they hatched a plan to gather evidence of the Prince's Kyrian wrongdoing, to prove to the king that he was not the man he seemed to be.

It was a dangerous plan, but Princess Maria was determined to see it through. She knew that she had to do something to protect her family, and she was willing to risk everything to do so.

As the days turned into weeks, the tension mounted. The Prince Kyrian's men were everywhere, watching and waiting for any sign of defiance.

But Princess Maria and her allies were careful, always staying one step ahead of their enemies.

And finally, after months of secret meetings and clandestine gatherings, they had gathered enough evidence to present to the king.

It was a risky move, but they knew it was their only chance. They had to convince the king that the RPrince was not the man he seemed to be, that he was a monster who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

And so, with hearts pounding and nerves stretched to the breaking point, they set out for the palace, determined to plead their case to the king himself.