Forced Bride Of The Vampire Lord

Edward stood up and asked for a meeting where the representative of council and all the nobles of the empire would choose their new leaders.

They gave both parties to put their point in front of the team for a few minutes then even cross question each other and point out the flow of others.

Then the nobles would vote and choose their new leader.

Starenfire had a smirk on his face and he looked much relaxed. The matter he was worried most was the nobles would not get a say.

But now that they were going to choose their new ruler indirectly, he was sure that he would be chosen. He looked at all of them with a  meaningful gaze when he noticed many of them were still looking at the files Hazel had thrown towards them and his eyes stirred.

But when met the eyes of the one who had come with him and exchanged glances, many nodded to him, indicating that they would support only him.

Though a few of them were not here, he did not care, since he had the majority.

"This would be your last chance to compete duke. If you lost now, there would not be another chance." warned the member of council but he was so confident that he nodded his head immediately.

"Alright then! Let us start the meeting. Since the party did not use underhanded methods, we are voting that instant." said Edward as he stood up, surprising both of them.

"Now!" the duke panicked as he looked around. Though he had made sure that he brought all of his supporters, there might be a chance many of them would vote for him if he paid them enough bribe or gave them enough offers.

"Yes, now! If you are worried about the rest of the nobles, then we can bring them here in an hour through magical portals. Then it would not be an issue. Would it?" asked Edward in a loud and crisp voice that brought the attention of all of them.

The duke gritted his teeth but nodded his head. He did not have any choice but to say yes.

As long as most of them are with me. He assured himself as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before nodding.

"Alright! Since you all know the duke Starenfire for a long time and you have already heard what Hazel wanted to say about the duke and about the empire, do you have any question?" he asked the men as he offered all of them a seat.

They exchanged glances. That was it? They had thought the council with give both contenders a chance to speak for themselves

They wanted to take more benefit from the offered deal but they could not ask about it publicly.

The duke had offered a good choice but.. Their eyes went to the papers Hazel had shown them. If she was right, then the duke had already gobbled up a lot of wealth that belonged to the empire.

In short, that belongs to them.

"If I am chosen, I will fulfill the promises I have made with the public. I will support all the nobles and help them in achieving their goal!" his words were filled with arrogance when he looked at them with his chin raised higher.

"If I am chosen, then I would make sure that the wealth that was usurped wrongly would be distributed among all.

I would open new chances of trade with nobles from other empires and the threat of war ended with my marriage would never start again.

The vampires, witches and humans would live together like in the past!" Though her father wanted the war, Hazel was sure the empire never wanted it.

But she was not sure if they were the nobles that supported her father or not. If they had come with the duke, then they must be supporting him.

She was taking a great challenge by accepting this voting system. But as Edward said, the matter was dragging a lot.

And in the end, she did not even want power or position. All she wanted was a fair place for every species.

The room was silent. No one knew what the other person was thinking except the duke.

He was sure that Hazel's speech would only go against her. Which noble would want reality or fairness!

All they wanted was to have a lot of wealth for themselves.

They only want to be rich and have no interest in the welfare of society. They were rotten to the core.

Only his bribes and lure would work on them.

"Since most of you are here, you can start the voting now." said Edward as he passed a piece of paper to everyone and then placed a large bowl in the middle of the table so that no one would be able to know whom the other person had voted for.

They were not even given the chance of discussion. Soon the other nobles were dragged there too.

Many were not even dressed up for a formal meeting and glaring at the crowd for being forced.

Both the duke and Hazel explained to them the urgency of the matter and repeated their speeches giving assurance to others.

Soon they took a deep breath and sat there too as the nobles picked up the parchment and wrote a name with a solemn face.

When she dealt with their cold gazes she was sure that she was going to lose the match.

She never had any affinity with the other nobles and never did she falter others to make a good relationship.

Why will they vote for her? She took a deep breath when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

Her face was still play but she had a calm smile on her face when she looked at him.

In the end, Rafael stood up and placed his vote in the bowl ending the process of voting.

"Since it was an urgent and anonymous one, I hope that it will be free and end the arguments forever. And the winner of the contest is.."