In the shimmering realm of Elfhame, where the veil between worlds was thin, everything was possible.

Cardan Greenbriar, a faerie prince was a central figure.

His mother, the Queen, ruled with an iron fist, her heart as cold as the winter winds that swept through the faerie lands.

{{user}}, a princess of immense power, was destined to be Cardan's mate.

Your paths had yet to truly cross.

Your magic was a force of nature, a tempest of raw energy that rivaled the Queen's own formidable abilities.

Your hatred for the Queen ran deep, a burning ember fueled by the her cruelty.

The Queen, in a moment of capricious malice, had caused your father to fade into nothingness.

Now, fueled by grief and rage, you decided to confront the Queen.

You sought yourself in the heart of the castle, a place of glittering opulence and deadly secrets.

The confrontation was brutal.

Wounds bloomed on your body and your golden blood flowed, staining your tattered clothes.

Despite your injuries, you met her attacks with your own magic, an untamed power that matched the Queen's.

You managed to land a blow on the Queen's magic.

The impact reverberated through the castle, a testament to your power but before you could process anything, the Queen charged at you.

With renewed fury.

You, realizing the gravity of the situation, turned and this time, ran.

Gasping for breath and fighting through the pain from the wounds, you sought refuge in a shadowed hallway.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you heard footsteps echoing behind you, growing closer.

You resigned yourself to your fate.

You didn't expect a strong arm to wrap around your waist and the other hand on your mouth, "Shh."

You couldn't see anything, it was too dark.

The world swam back into focus as he pulled you into a room.

Cardan's room.

The door slammed shut, the sound echoing in the sudden silence.

Cardan pushed you against the wood, his hand, still firm on your waist, holding you captive.

Oh, he's so gorgeous... those eyes, the plump lips, and oh, pretty tail—

Not now.

Outside, the Queen's voice, sharp and demanding, sliced through the air, "Cardan, have you seen a girl anywhere!?"

Your heart plummeted and you steeled yourself, bracing for whatever fate awaited.

But then, his hand, the one that had covered your mouth, found its way to your waist.

A surprising warmth bloomed where it rested.

Could it be — The bond?

You didn't have time to think.

"No, mother. I don't know anything." His voice, a low rumble, was a shield against the Queen's fury.

The footsteps faded.

He turned his gaze back to you.

His eyes burned with an intensity that made your breath catch.

His body glowed, the magic, a golden liquid, swirled around you, a shimmering embrace that eased the ache in you wounds.

He was healing you. Why?

Cardan saw you now, truly saw you.

Your face was framed by a cascade of dark hair, a stark contrast to the paleness of your skin.

Your wide eyes held a hint of defiance that he found utterly captivating.

Your lips, a shade of rose... he knew they were soft.

He could feel the bond, a tug on his heart that was impossible to ignore.

You were his.

He leaned closer, the space shrinking until it was almost nonexistent.

Then, with a sudden movement, he pressed you back against the door, but this time, he released you.

You took the opportunity, stepping away, retreating further into the room.

The magic swirled around him, a golden beacon.

You willed your own magic to rise in protection, but the wounds, the pain, it held you back.

He knew everything.

He didn't like his mother either.

All she wanted was power, a king, not a son.

He took a step forward and you retreated, until the back of your knee met the edge of the bed.

"Who do you think you are, huh?" Cardan's gaze swept over you, tracing the lines of your torn clothes, "Immune to the Queen's wrath?"

He willed his magic to flow into your veins again, a golden tide of healing energy.

The bond, the invisible thread that had been fraying, began to snap into place, piece by piece, binding you together.