"What?"
I look at my father with my jaw dropped open.
"Please tell me this is a joke."
My father shakes his head and says.
"No. This is not a joke. The king did not force you to marry or be her betrothed but asked you to think about his proposal."
"What does the Vortigern family get from this marriage?"
"Our help."
"What?"
My father takes a deep breath and says.
"Monsters overrun the Vortigern Duchy, and they need someone's help to ensure their territory is not gone. The situation worsens, and Eleanor must go to the neighboring kingdom for her safety."
"And they want us to help them kill all those monsters? Are they stupid? They are the reason why this event happened in the first place."
"I know, and I agree with you. They take away your left hand and dare to ask us for help for the trouble they create?"