The best part of this mess is how utterly powerless they were. The most powerful duchal house and the Royal family were backed into a corner just because of complacency. And, if you think about it, why would they even think of Faris having the power to attack them? Faris, a country too busy gnawing the corpse of its old glory. Why would Adelbide, a far more wealthy country, even bother thinking about Faris after their aggreatments? They were drunk on their country success, and never stopped to consider how their neighbors or Faris was seeing them.
In a sense it's a repeat of what happened to Lily years later. Smart, beloved, beautiful, rich, untouchable... And then she was backed into a corner even before she could learn anything that could protect her life.
Honestly, I would break on either of their places. I wouldn't be able to give that order or making that sacrifice.