Norman's POV
I stood before the round table of the court, my eyes fixed on Mr. Crestwood and the other kingmakers. They were the ones who would decide my fate, determine whether I would be allowed to pursue the throne. And now, they were telling me that my marriage to Riley was a problem.
"Norman, you have committed a great atrocity by marrying a girl under the crescent moon," one of the kingmakers said, his voice stern. "You must send her back to Hornside and marry another, hence that will void your first marriage."
I felt my heart kick in anger at their words. How could they ask me to abandon Riley, the woman I had come to care for? I thought about her innocent smile, her laughter, and her determination—everything that endeared me to her. I couldn't possibly come to terms with leaving
