Chapter 96

Chapter 96: The Gauntlet of Valor

As the resounding cheers echoed across the southern grounds of the imperial palace, the suitors began to take their places, each man steeling himself for the trials that lay ahead. The training grounds, typically reserved for the empire’s finest warriors, had been transformed into a grand arena, befitting the gravity of the Royal Entreaty. Towering banners bearing the imperial crest fluttered in the breeze, and the polished marble stands gleamed in the morning light. The sheer scale of the event was a testament to its importance.

Princess Isabella, standing beside her mother on the dais, watched the scene unfold with a composed expression. Yet beneath her regal exterior, a storm of emotions brewed. Dressed in a gown of flowing white silk contrasted beautifully with intricate gold embroidery, she looked every inch the princess—dignified, radiant, and untouchable. Her light golden hair, styled in intricate braids that cascaded down her back, and her icy