"Madelena, see Marshal Hudson off for me!"
Caesar IV instructed.
The act had to be convincing. If they wanted to fool everyone, every detail had to be in place.
A princess interacting with a marshal would at most become a fine tale of a hero and a beauty; no one would meddle. But if the king met privately with a marshal, everyone would have to give it some serious thought.
"Marshal Hudson, shouldn't you ask me for a dance?"
Princess Madelena said gloomily.
What she had just witnessed during the division of spoils had completely overturned her understanding. Fortunately, her royal upbringing had trained her to remain calm in any situation.
Deep down, she also felt a faint pang of regret. If she had known Hudson was such a promising prospect, capable of rising so quickly, she would have made her move the first time they met.
Of course, Baron Hudson could never have been a suitable marriage match for the royal family. But if she had acted early enough, she could have delayed Hudson's marriage.
The royal family would not accept a common-born noble in marriage, but that did not mean they would reject a marshal who controlled the Kingdom Army. Hudson now had enough value to be courted by the royal family.
For a princess destined for a political marriage, staying in the country meant far better treatment than marrying abroad.
Reality had no ifs. What was missed was missed. Thinking about it would achieve nothing except stewing in frustration.
"Your Highness, please!"
Hudson said somewhat awkwardly.
By all that was holy, he truly did not know how to dance. No matter how well Hudson had risen, his family of origin had only been a minor baronial house, with pitifully few resources at hand.
His daily training alone