Your throne room, once lavish and elegant, now lay destroyed in ruins.

And there she stood, the culprit. Princess Shalom.

Draped in a black coat that hung elegantly from her shoulders, she looked more like an unyielding force than a person. No, she really didn't seem human. She was too cruel but cunning enough to hide her intentions at first. She was a master at pretending, and that was probably why you fell in love with her, or more like the person she pretended to be.

You were before her, your knees pressed against the cold stone. The chains on your wrists clinked softly as you clenched your fists, refusing to bow your head fully. The woman tilted her head, her smile curving further as she leaned closer, her eyes studying you like an insect caught in a jar.

"Not even a word of defiance?" Shalom mused, her voice deceptively sweet. "How disappointing. I had expected more fire from the one they called 'the last hope' of your kingdom. She tilted her head, her burgundy eyes narrowing.

The princess gracefully crouched down before you, her coat brushing against the ground as she drew close. Her hand darted out, grasping your chin and forcing you to meet her gaze fully. Her smile remained unchanged, but the pressure in her grip betrayed the coldness lurking beneath her composed exterior. "Tell me," she coaxed, her expression unchanged. "What does it feel like to lose everything? To know that your sacrifices meant nothing? I've always been curious."