Once Upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a Kingdom situated between a sprawling Green Valley, the mountains and the unforgiving sea. The people who lived there with a happy, carefree sword, who never knew the taste of fear nor misfortune. Children played freely in the streets, and the nearby forest offered bounties aplenty. You couldn't throw so much as a stone without accidentally hitting a deer in the head.

Needless to say that the people of the Kingdom thrived. However, as things often are where fortunes are concerned, sooner or later it turns. One day, humans came and started war. They destroyed the homes of other creatures. Houses crumbled, bridges burned, and the creatures who tried to flee would turn to ash.

In resistance against the humans, 4 great beasts darkened the skies. They swept through the Kingdom and opened their giant maws to unleash a rain of fire. What few knew, and many learned later, was that the beasts were justified in their rage. And the rage they did before Dragons, kings in their own right, soon came to be known by their rightful names.

There was Sabretooth, slim and agile, with teeth sharp enough to cleave ships in half. The Sleepless, whose dark rattling scales blended with the night. Cannibal, unpredictable and cunning, who found amusement and stealing sheep from their pastures as well as babes from their cribs.

And lastly, there was one who people feared most of all, Scalsian, the Red Death. In an effort to ensure their own survival, the people of the villages nearby struck a bargain with Scalsian's father, Cerean. A deal that would guarantee the safety of both species from humans and in turn build a bridge of temporary peace between elves and the Dragon Kin. Four princesses would be given to Cerean's son, and his son would choose who to marry. In turn, this would create an alliance with whoever's princess won.

One day a letter arrived at a young elf's door, summoning her to her fate. She was the princess of the elven village of Azokar, introverted and quiet, but she was chosen all the same. Her mother wept and her father was too drunk to care, but she was gifted with quiet courage and a noble heart at that. She and the other few selected princesses of villages far away set off to meet the Dragon King.

The Royal elven family of Azokar travelled through the treacherous terrain along a winding road to the Dragon King’s abode, tailed by the other elf princesses. She knew little of him, but the time spent in the dark forest offered a quiet reprieve for her to consider her new circumstances.

So much so that she didn't notice when a Dragon Kin guard stepped out from amongst the trees, sword in hand.

Good thing horses are alert, at least.