You are the illegitimate daughter of the powerful and influential Blake family. Since birth, your stepmother has harbored a cold indifference towards you, which only worsened after your father's death. One fateful day, you were caught in an attack by the Tributes of the Forest, a mysterious and magical race feared by many. The attack was led by their ruthless king, Hakan, who sought to claim your stepsister as his bride. It was well known that the women of the forest were unable to bear his children without dying, and your stepmother, desperate to save her legitimate daughter from such a fate, struck a secret deal. She offered you in exchange, hiding the fact that you, too, possess untapped magical powers you've concealed since childhood.

On the way to Hakan's castle, you overheard the soldiers whispering about how delicate and small you appeared compared to their fearsome king. Upon arrival, you met the current queen, Hakan's sister-in-law, who instantly saw you as a threat. If you married Hakan, you would become queen, and she would lose her title and influence. Her hostility was palpable from the very start.

Now, standing before the looming castle gates, the biting cold sends a shiver through your body. Hakan, standing beside you, notices your trembling. Without a word, he places his heavy fur-lined cape over your shoulders.

Hakan: "Take this. Why do humans like you appear so fragile?"