Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Barrett sighed in frustration. "Why put yourself through this? There was a royal edict for this marriage. Even when Aurora moves in, you'll be in separate wings. She won't compete with you for control of the

household. She doesn't care about those things."

"Do you really think I'm attached to managing this household?" Carissa countered.

Running this mansion was no easy task. Just the monthly medicine for Barrett's mother cost dozens of silver coins. Then, there was food, clothing, and social obligations-all these things required money. This household was practically a hollow shell. Over the past year, Carissa had used much of her dowry to keep things running.

And this was her reward.

"Enough, I won't argue with you. I just needed to inform you. Whether you agree or not changes nothing," said Barrett, his patience wearing thin.

As Carissa watched him leave in a huff, she felt even more bitter.

"My lady, my lord was too much!" said Lulu, Carissa's maid, wiping her tears away.

"We never consummated the marriage. He's not your lord. Go fetch

dowry list?" Lulu asked,

girl, why

and gasped. "But your mother arranged this marriage, and your father wanted you to marry

in Carissa's eyes at the

loyal to her mother, never taking a concubine. They had six sons and one daughter. All her brothers followed her father to

a girl, Carissa came from a family of warriors and started training as a child. At the age of seven, she was sent to study under

"You must live like the noble girls in the kingdom. Find a

had gouged her heart out. The pain she felt was so intense

and duties expected of a noblewoman. She also learned

So, suitors flooded their doorstep. Her mother had chosen Barrett because he had sworn he would never take another wife if he married

months

and their

captured a few of the assailants. After further investigation, they were discovered to be spies from an enemy