The Kingdom That Rejected Me Shall Fall

The day Lady Seraphina Valmont was born should have been a day of celebration. Instead, it became the beginning of her misfortune. “Black hair?” The midwife’s trembling voice echoed through the room. “Blue eyes?” Silence followed. A suffocating silence. The silence of disappointment. The silence of a dream shattering. Duke Alaric Valmont stared at the infant in the maid’s arms as if she were a stranger. No. Worse. As if she were a mistake. The House of Valmont was one of the oldest noble families in the kingdom. For generations, every legitimate child of the Valmont bloodline inherited the family’s blessing. Silver hair. Golden eyes. The mark of heroes. The mark of kings. The mark that proved the First King’s divine favor still flowed through their veins. Yet the baby girl before him possessed neither. She looked utterly ordinary. Black hair. Blue eyes. A face that carried no trace of the legendary Valmont lineage. The duchess, pale from childbirth, reached out weakly. “Alaric…” The duke remained silent. “She’s our daughter.” Only then did he nod. “Of course.” But his expression said otherwise. The warmth never reached his eyes. And from that moment onward, Seraphina’s fate was sealed. ⸻ Growing up, Seraphina learned one thing. Expectations only led to disappointment. The Valmont estate was enormous. A magnificent castle overlooking endless green hills. To outsiders, it appeared like paradise. To Seraphina, it was a prison. Every corridor reminded her that she did not belong. Every portrait reminded her she was different. Every family gathering reminded her she was unwanted. At six years old, she attended her first family banquet. Her father sat at the head of the table. Her two younger brothers sat beside him. Both possessed silver hair. Both possessed golden eyes. Both looked exactly like the heroes painted on the castle walls. Servants praised them endlessly. “Young Master Adrian is so talented.” “Young Master Cedric inherited the duke’s swordsmanship.” “The future of House Valmont is bright.” Meanwhile, Seraphina sat alone. No one spoke to her. No one acknowledged her. Not even the servants. At one point, she gathered enough courage to approach her father. “Father.” The duke glanced at her. “Yes?” His tone was polite. Coldly polite. Like a nobleman speaking to a stranger. “I practiced swordsmanship today.” “Is that so?” Seraphina smiled hopefully. “Would you like to see?” “No.” The answer came immediately. Not cruel. Not angry. Simply indifferent. The duke returned to his conversation. As though she had never spoken. As though she did not exist. The smile vanished from Seraphina’s face. She quietly returned to her seat. No one noticed. No one cared. ⸻ Years passed. The older Seraphina became, the more obvious the difference grew. Her brothers received tutors personally chosen by the duke. Seraphina received whatever instructors happened to be available. Her brothers received expensive gifts. Seraphina received leftovers. Her brothers received praise. Seraphina received silence. Yet she never complained. Because she still had one source of hope. The Crown Prince. Leonhardt Aurelius. The future king. Her fiancé. Their engagement had been arranged shortly after birth. A political alliance between the royal family and House Valmont. For years, Seraphina clung to that engagement like a lifeline. Perhaps her family didn’t love her. Perhaps she didn’t belong here. But someday she would become queen. Someday she would build a family of her own. Someday she would finally have a place where she belonged. At least, that was what she believed. ⸻ “Lady Seraphina!” A maid ran toward her through the palace gardens. The seventeen-year-old noblewoman looked up from her book. “What is it?” “The Crown Prince has arrived!” Immediately, her heart skipped a beat. Leonhardt was visiting the Valmont estate. Again. A small smile appeared on her face. Perhaps he had come to see her. The prince had been distant lately. Busier. Harder to meet. But surely she was overthinking. They were engaged. After all. Closing her book, Seraphina hurried toward the main courtyard. Her silver-white dress fluttered in the wind. For a brief moment, she looked almost happy. Almost. When she reached the courtyard, she stopped. Her smile disappeared. The prince was there. But he wasn’t alone. A beautiful young woman stood beside him. Long silver-blonde hair. Elegant smile. Perfect posture. Lady Rosaline Ashford. Seraphina’s greatest enemy. The daughter of Duke Ashford. The woman who had spent years making her life miserable. Rosaline laughed softly at something Leonhardt said. The prince laughed too. The sight stabbed deeper than any blade. They looked… Comfortable. Far too comfortable. As if they had shared countless moments together. As if they belonged beside each other. Noticing her arrival, Rosaline smiled sweetly. A smile Seraphina knew all too well. Because behind that smile hid poison. “Lady Seraphina.” Rosaline curtsied. “What a pleasant surprise.” It was not. Nothing involving Rosaline ever was. “Crown Prince.” Seraphina bowed. Leonhardt nodded. “Seraphina.” No smile. No warmth. No affection. Something inside her chest tightened. She couldn’t explain why. But suddenly she felt cold. Very cold. ⸻ That evening, a grand dinner was held. The prince sat beside Duke Valmont. Rosaline sat beside the prince. Seraphina sat farther down the table. As always. Forgotten. Invisible. Throughout the meal, Rosaline remained the center of attention. The duke laughed at her jokes. Her brothers admired her elegance. Even the prince seemed captivated. Meanwhile, Seraphina quietly ate her food. A ghost at her own table. Then she overheard a conversation. A conversation that changed everything. “Lady Rosaline would make a wonderful queen.” One noblewoman giggled. Another agreed. “Indeed.” “I heard His Highness is completely enchanted by her.” More laughter followed. Rosaline lowered her gaze shyly. Pretending to be embarrassed. Pretending. Because Seraphina saw the victorious smile hidden beneath. The smile of someone who had already won. And for the first time, fear crawled into Seraphina’s heart. ⸻ Late that night, she stood alone on a balcony overlooking the moonlit gardens. The cold wind brushed against her face. She should return inside. But she couldn’t. Something felt wrong. Terribly wrong. Then footsteps approached. Seraphina turned around. “Crown Prince?” Leonhardt stood in the shadows. His expression was unusually serious. For a moment, hope returned. Perhaps he came to reassure her. Perhaps everything was just a misunderstanding. Perhaps— “We need to talk.” The words shattered her hope instantly. His voice was too cold. Too distant. Too formal. The prince looked away. Unable to meet her eyes. And suddenly Seraphina understood. Not the details. Not the reason. But the outcome. Something precious was about to be taken from her. Again. Just like her father’s affection. Just like her family’s love. Just like everything else. The moonlight illuminated Leonhardt’s face. And for the first time in seventeen years, Seraphina felt the terrifying certainty that the future she had been promised was about to collapse. Behind the palace windows, Rosaline watched from afar. A satisfied smile curled across her lips. The trap had already been set. And Seraphina had no idea how far her enemies were willing to go. To be continued…