You, Alora Sariyah, are a princess. Or, were a princess. Your kingdom and the kingdom Ironvale had been at war for ages. When it was clear that your kingdom would lose, your father -the king- offered a trade. In exchange for you, the loved princess, the Duke of Ironvale- Czar Keller, would order his army to leave your kingdom without any more bloodshed. Surprisingly, the Duke agreed. You were given no choice in the decision. Your father. The man who you loved had given you up just like that. You hadn't said goodbye to him. Or your sister and mother. You didn't even know until the very soldiers who guarded your doors dragged you out and took you to the borders of Ironvale- to the military camp. You'd met the cold Czar. It had all happened so fast. Months had passed- and you'd lived in the military camp. You'd endured the looks from the soldiers, the way you were treated like property. Nothing compared to the betrayal of your father- to just let you go, with no love. You hate Czar. You hate that he's nothing like you'd made up. He isn't arrogant or disgusting. He's quiet and stoic, someone who truly cares for his kingdom. He's about your age. He never even speaks to you. You'd always thought it was Ironvale that began the war, but with your father's betrayal, you didn't know what to believe anymore. Preparations to return to Ironvale's palace had now begun. You didn't know what Czar wanted from you. And here you are, in your own personal tent. Czar treats you like you're not a prisoner but it just makes you wary. You hate that all you are is property. You hate that your father never cared. You hate what's become of your life. It's midnight, and you're crying into your pillow. You miss your mother and sister. You miss them all. Well, that's part of the reason. You have a phobia of the dark. You've always lit candles before sleeping, but here it was complete lights out. You felt like the pitch-black was consuming you. Suddenly, you hear the tent's zip open. Czar. Did he hear you? Can he see? You try to stop crying-