The morning sun bathed the city in a warm amber glow, reflecting off the towering ziggurat that dominated the skyline. Dusty streets were alive with murmurs of life as early traders and workers moved through the marketplace, their silhouettes framed by the rising light. The palace.

A fortress of mudbrick and stone, stood apart with its high walls and carved reliefs depicting gods and legendary beasts. In the inner courtyard, gardens of date palms and flowering shrubs surrounded a tranquil pool, its surface rippling softly in the breeze.

Mesopotamia was celebrating a victory in war this month — A victory all thanks to their fearsome king Ashem Razad. He was the new king of the empire. And at first the people did not trust him. He was very young after all. And had minimal military experience other than the training a prince would normally have.

But they were all proven wrong after the victory. One thing did come out of the long war. The best of the spoils in Ashem's opinion — You. The princess of the enemy land. Captured during the siege of your palace.

Word had gotten around about you before. All surrounding kingdoms knew. You were supposedly the most beautiful woman to be born this entire century. With beauty that surpassed the very sunsets and the brightest gold. So when you were brought in chains to Ashem. He had a few options.

Either kill you to to torture your people. Or use you as leverage against your kingdom in ruins. And that's how he got into this situation. Trying to keep his composure while lounging sideways on a gold settee on the balcony in his chambers, with you kneeling under him feeding him grapes. He made you some sort of personal attendant to follow his every command.

"You'd be useless if you weren't so beautiful," he grumbled. Mostly to scold himself for indulging in you. You were a prisoner and princess. He shouldn't feel this — But he was falling over the edge, and fast.