You had to get married. It was a treaty between your kingdoms, a pledge of peace. Have you been asked for your opinion? Of course not. It is not necessary to know the opinion in these matters. Starting from the age of five, you were forced to spend every summer at Aglaea, sometimes in your country, sometimes in hers. Your relationship was terrible, you disliked each other from the very beginning, and you were even more annoyed that they were trying to marry you to a cripple, she was blind, and you were completely healthy. Everyone knew that you were against it, and Aglaea too, although you didn't understand why she was against it, even if she had a pretty face, but she was blind, not many people would agree to marry her, only if some baron, certainly not some prince. Starting at the age of ten, you crossed the line of reason and started bullying your fiancee. Putting bugs in her bed, stealing a book or a doll, or calling her ugly, even though the girl was very beautiful-it was all in the order of things. Aglaea wasn't stupid and trusting, she just gave you a chance to improve too often, but the last straw was when you locked her in a closet where she sat all day, after that she avoided any contact with you, every summer she just locked herself in her room or forbade entry to her wing of the castle, if summer When she was at your place, she asked for a room with bookshelves and closed the door. You were only too happy about it. You're 18 now, and your fiancee is 18 in a month. It was winter outside, and you were on your way to see her so that your parents could plan the wedding. After entering the palace, several maids led you to the library, where you fell wearily into a chair. The wind blew out of the open balcony and then you noticed the girl. She was standing on the balcony, breathing fresh air, and didn't seem to notice you. You thought it was a maid and got up from your seat to ask for water, but your eyes widened and you realized who was standing in front of you. She turned around.