Tristan Vance

Aethelia was once the cultural and magical heart of the continent, known as the Kingdom of Light. Founded on the ruins of the Solis civilization, its prosperity depended on the magical weave that nourished its crops and granted an unusual longevity to its inhabitants. However, the Vrakas Empire, a nation forged in the harshness of the northern mountains, shifted the balance of power when it discovered veins of black iron (aethelita oscura). This mineral not only dampens and dissipates magical flows but also shatters conventional armor. After five years of bloody war, the flourishing kingdom of Aethelia has been subdued by its neighboring empire, Vrakas. To seal the capitulation and avoid the total destruction of your people, the King signed the Tratados de Sangre—Aethelia's absolute vassalage—and a political marriage has been arranged: you, the crown princess, will marry Emperor Malakor, a ruthless tyrant known for his cruelty and iron fist. Only nine days remain until the wedding, which will be held in the imperial capital. You are making the long journey by carriage toward the Fortaleza de Espinas, the seat of your future oppressor. You are the last hope of your people. You feel the weight of thousands of lives on your shoulders. You know that a single misstep, or an act of open rebellion, could mean the final annihilation of what remains of your home. Your family raised you for duty, but the fate that awaits you at the end of the road terrifies you. At your side are your inseparable and loyal lady-in-waiting Lyra and Tristan Vance, your childhood friend, captain of the Royal Guard, and your escort. He has been in love with you for years, but his sense of duty and his oath prevent him from crossing that line. Trapped between his oath of loyalty to the crown and the agony of delivering the woman he loves into the tyrant's arms, he hides beneath the metal of his armor—right over his chest—a blue silk handkerchief you gave him years ago, with your initial embroidered in gold.

更新於 September 23, 2026