Chapter 1: The Isolated Heiress
There was a persistent issue within Count Alaric's household: his eldest daughter, Seraphina Alaric. The count often bemoaned the considerable fortune wasted on her, given that she was perpetually bedridden with illness.
If there had been any hope for her recovery, perhaps his attitude might have softened. However, Seraphina's frail constitution and frequent ailments had steadily eroded her parents' affection.
Seraphina spent more time confined to her bed than outside of it, missing the social milestones that other noble children celebrated. As her sickness lingered, visitors dwindled, and she became increasingly isolated. This solitude bred a plethora of rumors about her.
Whenever Count Alaric saw her pallid face, he couldn't bring himself to offer a kind word. Instead, he branded her with cruel epithets like 'cursed child.' The gossip that followed only fueled his disdain, prompting him to confine Seraphina to her room to avoid the sight of her ghostly visage.
Family warmth was an alien concept to Seraphina, who found herself utterly isolated. She even took her meals in solitude to avoid the sounds of her family's activities outside her door. Her parents' neglect fostered similar treatment from her siblings; despite being the count's daughter, she was regarded as little more than a burden.
Everyone avoided Seraphina, thinking, "Who knows when she will die?" She couldn't fault them, as her illness often felt like a death sentence. Yet, defying countless expectations of her early demise, she had reached an age suitable for marriage.
Despite this, the surrounding society remained indifferent. Though she was the daughter of a noble count, no suitors had come forward. The reason was evident. Count Alaric, in a fit of anger, summoned Seraphina.
"You worthless creature!" his voice echoed through the halls.
A child deemed useless since birth still provided no advantage. His eldest was supposed to secure a beneficial marriage, paving the way for her siblings, but Seraphina had no prospects.
"How could I father a child like you?" the count bellowed. His sharp glare made Seraphina's already pale face blanch further.
"Why must our family endure this humiliation?"
Seraphina's head bowed lower under her father's relentless scorn. Known in society as 'the esteemed Count Alaric,' he was desperate to cement his position in the political sphere.
Though his status was precarious, a political marriage could bridge the gap. Such unions were contracts, opportunities to solidify alliances and bolster mutual interests.
Cassian Alaric, the current count, had followed this very path, marrying his wife for familial advantage. Their relationship, while not devoid of care, was fundamentally transactional. His views mirrored those of his predecessors: marry, produce heirs, and marry them into influential families. To Count Alaric, a child was merely an extension of his ambitions.
He struck his desk with a clenched fist.
"What is wrong with my family? Why has no one sought your hand in marriage!"
Seraphina, though equally disheartened, had never begged to be spared from such an arrangement.
The count regarded his daughter with a mixture of frustration and helplessness. She was a bloodless figure, devoid of any apparent charm.
"At least one proposal has come," he said at last.
Seraphina lifted her head. A proposal. It might be her only escape from this house.
"A letter has arrived from the Duke of Everwyn, proposing marriage," the count declared.
"The Duke of Everwyn..." Seraphina repeated.
The moment she heard the name, the faint hope she had felt was extinguished. She looked at her father, shaking her head in denial.
"I must have heard wrong – you don't mean the Duke of Everwyn, do you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Yes, I do," Count Alaric confirmed.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone