As the day of the competition dawned, Sofia stood alongside other competitors, each from a noble family. There was Marcus, the cunning and charming prince from a neighboring kingdom; Lady Aurelia, with her beauty and intellect; and the surprise entrant, Elian, a commoner rumored to possess an uncanny ability to win hearts.
The situation took a dramatic turn when both Lord Thomas and Duke Henry publicly claimed paternity of the princess's unborn child. Lord Thomas, through a formal declaration, asserted his right to be recognized as the father, citing months of intimate relations with the princess.
