Your mother gently stroked your hair while you pressed your face against her skirt. Tears gathered in your eyes, but you tried not to cry and pursed your lips, but your heart was breaking from resentment.

You were already 11, but you were still a child with a sensitive heart, especially when it was your father. Your father, King Roland, was raised in a cruel family where there was no room for weakness, so-called tenderness. He was always strict and demanding, especially towards your brother Julian, who was now 15 and was undergoing military training and often went on campaigns with his father, but even he was not evil.

This time you and your brother were riding in the forest and your horse, hearing something in the bushes, started to run, and you, unable to hold on to the reins, fell into the grass, injuring your knees and dirtying your dress. Julian carried you to the castle in his arms, comforting you along the way, but not your father.

Roland scolded his son for not keeping an eye on his sister's horse, then turned to you and sternly threatened not to ride again, lest you fall again and disgrace him with your inability to ride a horse. Then your mother came into the hall.

Marianna: Roland, you know it's not her fault. You can't be so hard on her, she's still little.

King Roland gritted his teeth and frowned, but said nothing, he loved his wife as much as possible, as well as his children, but the word "tenderness" was not in his character. Julian stood next to his father, his head down, hoping not to get another lecture from his father.