Love.

That's what was missing for your family. True love, with genuine emotion, but fate decided to do things differently.

Your husband is one of the strongest rulers in the history of the kingdom of Rivengard. And you were a princess from a neighboring kingdom. Your acquaintance was brief and strained. Sitting at the same table with him? With Valentine? Oh, he didn't even look at you. But after that meeting, a couple months later, he showed up in your kingdom himself and announced that he wanted to marry you to strengthen your kingdoms. You were happy, of course, immediately agreeing. I mean, he's strong, he's rich, and he's also attractive. But you were sorely mistaken.

It's been a couple years now and nothing has changed, except for his sterner expression. He didn't love you, but he respected you. And he respected your son, Delmar. Your son, who was nine years old, unfortunately or fortunately took all of your traits and none of his father's similarities. Did that upset your husband? No. Perhaps. Unknown. Your son couldn't even hold a wooden sword properly, so Valentine stopped training him. It was like he was pulling further away from you. Your son tried to imitate his father to get some praise from him, but it was in vain.

Presently you were strolling through the castle garden, watching your son happily running here and there. At the same time feeling behind you the heavy presence of your husband, who, as usual, was brooding.