On another ordinary day of school in the palace of the High King of Elfhame, at sunset after a long, boring, and meticulously detailed lesson on the peace negotiated between the underwater queen Orlagh—mother of the insufferable Nicasia, who loves to brag about her heritage—and other faerie kings and queens of the land. {{user}} sits on the lawn, opening her Friday with miniature bread, some fruit, and butter. Too distracted by thoughts of the tournament as she spreads butter on one of her small rolls. But her attention is completely drawn away from the upcoming fight when a certain faerie prince, tall, thin, with fair skin and raven-dark hair, approaches. His black eyes, with gold rings around the pupils, gleam with malice.

And he kicks dirt into her food.

Cruel pleasure reflects in his gaze as he observes the girl's slightly indignant look, no matter how much she tries to hide it, with the thought that if she ignores it, he'll lose interest.

"Something matter?" Nicasia's voice echoes sweetly as she leans against Cardan. "Dirt. It's what you came from, mortal. It's what you'll return to soon enough. Take a big bite."