Introduction

Eighteen, finally eighteen, she thought to herself. She was finally an adult and out from under her father’s rule. She was a princess. Well, a baroness, if you wanted to be precise. Her father was a baron, and that’s what his rank in the Senate on Capitol was. A minor baron at that. He wasn’t excessively wealthy. But he was well-known because of his House. He was the Baron of the House Karjan; His house was particularly important both on Aethel, where The Capitol was located and on Oranthe. But on Oranth, he was King—the ruler of the planet. Oranth wasn’t a rich or highly populated world. It wasn’t near the major trade routes or rich in minerals. It had crystal blue waters, large oceans, and fertile soil. Agriculture and fishing were its primary sources of income, followed by light industry products. Its principal export was its people, recruited for the empire’s military service branches and various academic institutions. Alliyanna was brought out of her reverie by her father’s stern voice calling her, “Allie.” She was instantly back and paying attention.

“Yes, father?”

Her father, Gristov, looked at her with a mixture of pride and bewilderment. He never truly understood her independent streak. He saw a beautiful, vibrant woman capable of handling almost anything with grace and determination. This made what he had to tell her even more difficult. It was time; she was of age now, and the contract must be fulfilled. “Allie, we need to talk. Please join me in my study.”

She knew whatever he was going to tell her, she wouldn’t like it. His study was off limits to everyone; even her mother, when she was alive, didn’t just go into his study uninvited. The only people who ever went there were political and business associates. He even cleaned it himself. The last time she was in this room, she was nine and was getting punished for beating up her younger brother and his best friend. It started as a dare; she was practicing with a wooden sword, and they laughed at her. She said she could beat both of them at a duel. But she didn’t have a sword; her brother said she could use his old rapier sword since he just received his birthday gift which was a much better sword for a growing boy. It was still a rapier-style sword, but new and had a better balance than the practice blade he’d been using. The duel devolved into a fistfight after she bested them both. And she’d given him a black eye in the process.

Father sat her in the big oversized winged chair in his study to explain that one does not blacken the eye of the head to the family title; it’s not ladylike to fight, with sword or fist. And that she would apologize to her brother, Thomas. She did begrudgingly and was still grounded for a cycle. It wasn’t fair. She remembered. Now, she had to fold back tears; Thomas had died three years ago. The latest plague virus had killed him. She was now the future heir of the Barony Karjan. She sat in the same chair, staring out into the study’s rich dark hardwood walls and accouterments, the oversized executive desk, the bookshelves with leather-bound books and rich tapestries and curtains; it looked like a man’s office. A man of importance and wealth conducted business in this space. This room focused on men, meant for men, and a man designed it. Those were looks of deception. The family fortune had been squandered and lost. It was all sunk into the revitalization of Oranth and the creation of a better world for the people. Well, squandered might be a bit too harsh. But the reality was the same: it was gone or so severely depleted that it amounted to the same thing.

She sat there, willing- herself to return to the present, and heard “ ... marriage.” “What?” she blurted out. “Marriage, to whom, when? Why? “ She nearly shouted.

“Haven’t you heard a word I’ve said this entire time? I told you I had to make a compact with Duke Birsha to get the capital investments and technological upgrades our planet needs. We can get our industrial and tech industries upgraded and make progress towards becoming more independent and help with becoming a more attractive trading partner, as we’ve discussed. He wanted certain guarantees; one was your hand in marriage when you became of legal age. To prove he’s a man of his word, he’s sent the first installment early. I received the electronic transfer of the second round of his promised funding this morning and the confirmation of your booked passage aboard the Celestial Honor. You have the Emperor’s Suite all to yourself, and you’re booked through non-stop to Capitol, Planet Aethel.”

Alliyanna sat in her father’s study, her heart racing with dread. Her childhood memories faded into the background as her father’s voice echoed ominously in her mind: the compact with Duke Birsha. The man was a tyrant—his reputation was notorious across the galaxy for oppressing women. His first two wives had met suspiciously tragic ends, whispers that made even the bravest souls shudder. Alliyanna shivered at the thought of becoming his third bride. Duke Birsha, was he serious? Everyone knew his reputation with women. He hated them and used them like disposable tissues. His first wife had died in childbirth. And because the baby was a female, he had tried to have the child put up for adoption, claiming, in his grief over her mother’s death, he would be unable to care for the baby. The grandparents stepped in and raised the child. His second wife had committed suicide rather than give him an heir. He mistreated and was Physically abusive to his housekeepers and female staff; word had gotten out that you didn’t want to work for the duke.

After the shocking news broke her reverie, she decided she would not allow her life to be dictated by her father’s ambitions or the monstrous Duke Birsha. She knew the risks, but she also knew the cost of inaction could be her life. “I’d not marry that man if he were the only eligible man in the entire galaxy. When did you make this agreement with him? Before or after my mother died? Because she would disapprove of this agreement, no matter what the promise or inducement was. She would not allow such a man as he to be wedded to me or this family. So, When?”

Gristov lowered his head. He knew she had a point. Illyovna would disapprove of the duke. But she was not here to handle those things anymore, and Gristov needed significant capital investments into his planet to stabilize its economy and trade deficits. Duke Birsha gave him a ready-made solution, and Allie would have to marry sooner or later anyway. Finally, he raised his head, “You will. There is nothing to discuss about this matter anymore; the Celestial Honor will be in port by the end of the week, and you will be aboard and ready to do your duty to your family and your people. As a senator and ruler, I have given my oath to deliver you to the duke willing, able, and ready to become his bride. You will not tarnish our name or reputation over a petty thing such as rumor and innuendo. He is a member of the Emperor’s Council. Indeed, a man like him has respect and admiration for all he serves. He has committed no crimes and is part of a High-ranking family with influence and honor. He is a much better match than even your mother, with all of her family’s name, fortune, and Honor could have arranged for you.”