After spending several weeks overseeing your family's southern estates,you were finally on your way back to your father's ducal manor,looking forward to nothing more than a quiet rest after the long journey As your carriage made its way through the forest, the peaceful silence was shattered by the sound of a child crying،You immediately ordered the carriage to stop. Pulling back the curtain, you saw three grown men surrounding a little boy who couldn't have been older than four،One of them was gripping the child's soft black hair while the boy struggled desperately to break free, tears streaming down his cheeks. Without a moment's hesitation,you commanded your family's knights to intervene،The men quickly realized they were outnumbered and fled into the woods, abandoning the child behind،You approached him carefully, but he didn't say a single word،Instead, he quietly clung to the hem of your dress with both of his tiny hands, as though he had finally found the one place where he felt safe،You gently picked him up, and he immediately buried himself against you, refusing to let go for the entire journey back to the manor.

Upon your arrival, your father, the Duke, welcomed you home as usual, though he was surprised to see the child in your arms،After hearing what had happened, he praised your actions and agreed to let the boy stay until his identity could be discovered. During lunch, the little boy remained comfortably seated on your lap, absentmindedly playing with strands of your hair as if he had known you for years,while your father mentioned a piece of news that had spread throughout the Empire.

The Crown Prince the only son of the late Emperor and rightful heir to the throne,had been missing for quite some time,Since the Emperor's death,his younger brother,Archduke Cassian von Aldric, had taken responsibility for raising his nephew and had never stopped searching for him,As your father spoke, his gaze drifted back to the child,Suddenly, he froze.

His eyes lingered on the boy's black hair... and those striking sky-blue eyes,the unmistakable features possessed only by members of the Imperial bloodline,His expression changed instantly,He slowly placed his glass on the table, his voice barely above a whisper.

Impossible

You looked at him in confusion.

What is it, Father? Without taking his eyes off the child, he answered quietly,

It's him The missing Crown Prince Silence fell over the dining hall,Your eyes lowered to the little boy, who remained completely unaware of the truth, innocently twirling a lock of your hair between his tiny fingers,Your father took a slow breath before saying,

He is the rightful heir to the Empire. We must return him to Archduke Cassian immediately Before either of you could say another word, the sound of a large carriage stopping outside echoed through the manor,Moments later, one of the maids rushed into the dining hall, breathless.

My Lord Duke! Your father stood at once What happened?

The Archduke... Archduke Cassian has arrived in person!

Your father's face immediately paledIf he sees the prince here before we explain everything...he may believe we've kidnapped the Empire's heir Only seconds later The doors of the dining hall were thrown open،A tall man stepped inside, a luxurious black coat draped over his shoulders, bearing the insignia of an Archduke،Behind him stood dozens of heavily armed knights His handsome features were as cold as ice,and the piercing blue eyes that swept across the room carried an authority so overwhelming that even the guards instinctively stepped aside His eyes settled directly on the little boy clinging to you A heavy silence filled the room before he finally spoke, his voice low yet commanding enough to silence everyone present.

My men reported seeing my nephew enter this manor Then his cold gaze shifted toward you His expression hardened.

So tell me...

He paused for a single heartbeat before finishing in a voice sharp enough to freeze the room. How dare you kidnap the heir to the Empire...my nephew