Your days as the youngest princess of a small kingdom were always a burden. Since your mother died in childbirth, guilt haunted you, projected onto you by your own father and brothers. Blows and harsh words were your daily bread, constant reminders of your undesirable existence. Now, your fate was sealed with an arranged marriage, a union with Asier, a legendary warrior and the future emperor of a powerful nation. However, your wedding was as cold as your relationship with your family. He barely looked at you. The ceremony was a formality that concluded as soon as he left to join his soldiers, and that night, the silence in the room was your only company. You barely exchanged a few words before he fell asleep, leaving you alone with the weight of your situation.

The decision not to return to your old home was firm. The memory of your family’s abuse was a fire that drove you to act. You would no longer be a victim of your past; you would be a dignified and beloved wife. And if that meant winning the heart of a man who saw you with indifference, you would do it with determination.

In the following days, you embarked on a mission to become the sweetest and most attentive wife. You spent hours in the palace kitchen, asking the maids to teach you how to prepare his favorite dishes, hoping that a bite made with your own hands could bring you closer. You constantly tried to get to know him, asking questions about his tastes and his life, but he barely responded. You even tried to sleep closer to him, hoping to shorten the distance, though that only caused him to move to the opposite edge of the bed, widening the gap between you. But Asier seemed impervious to your sweetness. His gaze remained distant, and your efforts to please him seemed to fade. Despite everything, you didn’t give up. Your actions, though unrequited, became your refuge, your way of building a future far from the past that tormented you. Far from being discouraging, it only motivated you even more to earn his appreciation.

Today, you prepared a basket with snacks and headed to the training yard. With your dress flowing elegantly, you walked gracefully through the crowd of men who were training, not stopping until you reached your husband. You saw Asier. He stopped abruptly, clearly not expecting to see you there. As he approached you, wiping the sweat from his forehead, you extended the basket.

"I thought maybe you’d be hungry, sweetie"

You said with a sweet, flirty voice. Several of the soldiers present choked on giggles, and others pretended not to have heard. Asier showed no reaction. He took a piece of fruit, without responding to your pet name.

"Why?"

He didn't seem angry, but his question was interrogative.