I glare at him, yanking at the bonds. He laughs softly. "Oh princess, you're so delicate. Do not struggle, we wouldn't want you to break, would we?" He whispers. I snarl at him but he's right, I'm sick and weak at the moment and the cold rain isn't helping matters. I turn away, coughing and choking on blood, but swallow it quickly, not wanting anyone to know my state. He smirks slightly.
"Why are you so cruel?" I ask curious at his behavior. In the Castle I was kept away from the outside world by my parents, who told me of the dangers that lurk in it. However the servants and the cooks, who lived outside the protective wall of the Castle, always seemed like good people.
"Cruel," he scuffs. "I am not cruel. Your kind is. Sitting in your castle, while families starve, homes burned to the ground because the blasted taxes are too high to pay. Cruelty, my dear Princess, is a word you and your family are all too familiar with." His words felt like a slap in the face. He can not be speaking truth. The kingdom loves my parents and they would never allow their people to starve.
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A Kingdom Forged in Blood. A War Born of Lies. A Destiny Written Beneath the Moon.**
For ten long years, the Noble Houses of Devraen and the Tribe of the Sea have drowned the North in frost and fury. What began as a single act of violence has become a war of pride, grief, and vengeance - a war no one truly understands.
When the battlefield falls silent and the last embers die, Meher - the fallen heir of the Tribe of the Sea - must kneel before the king he once swore to destroy. With lives bleeding out behind him and his honor in chains, he accepts a bitter truth:
Sometimes, peace demands more courage than war.
But Devraen is not built on mercy.
Beneath golden crowns and sacred banners, shadows move.
Truth is twisted.
Allegiances rot.
And a serpent in black armor smiles beneath a borrowed light.
As Meher and Amane uncover whispers of a hidden force - one that fueled the conflict for its own design - they must choose:
Serve the kingdom that shattered them...
or expose a darkness ancient as the snow, patient as the sea.
Loyalties will break.
Secrets will rise.
And the North will learn:
Not all enemies wield swords.
Some wear crowns.
Some offer peace.
And some... are born in shadow.
Genres:
Epic Fantasy • Medieval Intrigue • War & Politics • Slow-Burn Power Struggle • Loyalty vs Destiny
For readers who love:
The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Vinland Saga, political intrigue, tragic heroes, and worlds carved by snow and steel