i imagine even if ayna didnt elope with ranon and stayed inside the village, she would be too miserable and that would break the blacksmith's son's heart. he would've found a way to expand ayna's horizons himself. that would most likely lead to him still going to the kingdoms to advertise ayna as a goddess and war would still start. either way, everything would still end the same way as the prequel.
i imagine even if ayna didnt elope with ranon and stayed inside the village, she would be too miserable and that would break the blacksmith's son's heart. he would've found a way to expand ayna's horizons himself. that would most likely lead to him still going to the kingdoms to advertise ayna as a goddess and war would still start. either way, everything would still end the same way as the prequel.