A dystopian thriller that evolves into a violent sci-fi nightmare with hints of monster (very) dark romance. --------- Alice has a good life: a great job, a cozy, paid-off apartment, and a loving husband. She also has an oppressive government, a war-torn city, and general social decay around her, and what seems to be an alien invasion, though nobody is willing to admit it. You know, the kind of things that can really throw a wrench into a morning commute. She should have left a long time ago, but right or wrong, it's her country. What's the worst that could happen? No, seriously, what's literally the worst? ------ It starts as my lightest and most melancholic work, but will end up the heaviest -- expect constantly rising tension as we go from moody dystopia into politics and philosophy into bdsm and violence, and into... oh well, read it. Overarching themes: evolution, adaptation, duty, freedom, metal music. The first 10 chapters are a clean, dystopian, political story. From 11th chapter on, wheels come off. I tried to make it sound universal; still, you can figure out approximately when I had it first outlined. Warnings (from chapter 11 on): violence, attempted SA, dubcon, smut. ----------- If you are reading this story on any other platform other than Wattpad you are very likely to be at risk of a malware attack. If you wish to read this story in its original, safe, form, please go to https://www.wattpad.com/user/paleverse .

Falsely accused of treason against the Empire, Princess Yekaterina Petrova finds shelter in her homeland of Mir. Though she is amongst friends once more, the Imperial Regent remains unshakeable in his conviction that she is guilty of attempting to assassinate the Emperor. Now, one of the largest armies ever assembled in the Empire's history prepares to march upon Mir, under orders to deliver the so-called "Traitor Princess" to justice at all costs. With the rest of the Empire descending into civil war, the people of Mir can rely on none but themselves. Lady Ladislava Chernova doubts her capacity to contribute to the defence of the realm, and increasingly finds herself struggling with her sentiments towards her Princess, but remains just as devoted to her as ever. Lady Beatrice Willows, the confident and wise Court Sorceress of Mir, is no stranger to guiding the kingdom through myriad ordeals, but the Regent's threat may finally prove to be the one that is beyond her abilties, not least when he may not be the greatest source of danger. Father Maxim Drozdov, a humble priest, has no experience in the worlds of politics and warfare, but when his quiet hometown becomes a critical site to the war effort, his peaceful life is shattered, and he finds himself more involved in the conflict that he ever imagined was possible. Will Yekaterina and her allies prevail against the insurmountable odds arrayed against them? Or does her kingdom have no choice but to accept total subjugation?