Princess Janice of Ura had grown up hearing stories of the Danica king, a ruthless, bloodthirsty man who ruled his land with an iron fist and an unquenchable thirst for war.

Tales of his cruelty had spread like wildfire, growing more lurid with each retelling. Alina had heard it all: he'd murdered his rivals, taken lives without remorse, and, most chillingly, had married and buried three wives, each within months of the wedding.

Now, as she rode to her own wedding to this infamous king, she couldn't shake the stories from her mind.

My entire life, I had been preparing for this day. I always knew that I was never going to be able to choose whom to marry because I am a woman and a princess. I don't have the right to choose. Hell, I don't have any rights at all. My opinions and feelings don't matter to anyone, not even my own family.

The marriage was arranged, of course, as all royal marriages were.

The Ura king, Janice's father, had long sought peace with Danica, or at least an end to the bloodshed between their kingdoms. And now, he had found his solution.

The wedding would be a grand statement, a union of two lands long at odds, a symbol that the fighting was behind them. But to Janice, it felt more like a death sentence.

Princess Janice stared out of the window, her heart beating fast as the dark Danica castle came into view. Her maid Arizona sat across her.

You look beautiful princess, Arizona whispered, though there is a hints of sorrow in her eyes. She has been serving Janice from her birth and she can't help but to get worried.

Janice force a smile with trembled voice. Beautiful or ugly, it doesn't matters. I'm just a tool.

As she approached Danica's capital, dread pooled in her stomach. The grand castle loomed in the distance, its dark stone turrets and towering walls casting shadows over the land.

Her father's last words echoed in her mind. "A princess must be brave. Our people depend on it."

In fact, my father sees me as a tool to gain more power, to create a union with the Kingdom of Ura – a very powerful Kingdom by marrying me off to one of their ruthless king.

"For a prince and princess, the kingdom comes first," Father said.

She forced herself to sit taller, but her mind raced. Her future was bound to a man she'd never met—a man who might very well kill her. Her stomach tightened, but she steeled herself. She would endure this marriage, survive, and protect her people. For that, she would do anything.

The arrived in the castle's grand hall, shadow by torches lining stone walls.

Janice's first sight of King Jason was unexpected. She felt small as Jason appear before her. She had braced herself for a towering, vicious brute man whose eyes gleamed with cruelty. Instead, she found herself face-to-face with a tall, composed figure whose eyes were dark but thoughtful.

His gaze lingered on her, unreadable, as he gave a slight bow.

"Welcome to Danica, Princess Janice," he said, his voice deep and steady, carrying a tone of authority yet laced with an unexpected gentleness.

Janice had no idea how to respond. The man before her did not fit the image of a ruthless murderer.

My lord, She replied, managing a polite nod

His face was striking, yet his expression held a certain calmness, not the bloodlust she'd expected.

For a moment, Janice wondered if the stories were wrong. Then she chastised herself. Men who killed their wives didn't look like monsters; they hid behind masks.

Their eyes briefly, for a moment her fears weavered. When he held out his hand, she hesitate. The rumors of his dead wives filled her mind with great dread, she swallows hard and place her hand on his.

The days following the wedding were marked by tension, a delicate balance of distrust and duty.

Jason did not harm her, nor did he impose upon her.

Janice sit in silence, picking her food on her plate, she expects harsh words, orders or threats from Jason but instead he was distant, offering neither warm or hospitality.

Tell me princess, he speak at last, breaking the silent. What did Ura tell you about me?

Janice hesitate feeling his gaze. They say you are....a great and mighty ruler.

He raise an eyebrow, curling his lip slightly. Only that?

Her check warmed. There are more... rumors about your wives.

Jason face darkened briefly but compose himself. I see and yet here you are

I'm here for my people. It's my duty make sure my people are safe. Struggling her voice steady.

Jason face softened. Duty then we have that in common.

As the conversation ended Janice is left confused. He neither harsh or cruel with his words, only a strange sorrow that she don't seem to understand.

She noticed how he treated his subjects with respect, his commands firm but fair.

Janice found herself observing him more, watching for cracks in his mask, waiting for the monster to reveal itself. But day after day, she found no evidence of cruelty.

Janice's mind was torn. How could this man be the brutal killer everyone feared? Why did he seem so different from the rumors that haunted her?

Rumors and whispers still filled the halls, haunting Janice as she struggled to understand her new husband.

She had heard the servants hushed voices, the stories they shared of the blood that had stained the throne and the wives who had vanished.

Jason's marriages had always ended in tragedy, the details as hazy as they were haunting.

Determined to uncover the truth, Alina began to wander the castle.

Her heart pounded each time she reached a door she'd been told to avoid, especially the forbidden chamber at the end of a deserted corridor.

She heard stories that each of his wives had fallen ill soon after marrying him. Yet she saw no signs of illness, cruelty, or treachery in his actions. She began to wonder if something else was hidden here, a secret she hadn't yet uncovered.

One evening, she summoned courage to go into the forbidden room.

Janice footsteps echoes through the hallway, her hand shook as she reached the corner end. The room she was warned not to even step in because it was cursed.

The door cracked as she push it open. A haunting silent filled air of the room and cool air runs through her body immediately she step in.

While looking around lost in thought, she jump when a voice call out behind her.

"Curiosity can be dangerous"

She turn around to find Jason standing by the door, his experience unexplained.

Forgive me my lord, I was just... she stammer

Looking for ghost ? You will not find them here except shadow that cling to the past. He finish softly.

she summoned her courage and questioned Jason directly about his past wives. His expression darkened, but not with anger. Instead, she saw a flicker of pain—a glimpse into a past he rarely allowed anyone to see.

"I did not kill them," he said quietly. "But I was helpless to save them. Danica has its own shadows, Princess. Shadows I wish I could escape."

His eyes held unspoken sorrows , for the first time he too was haunted by secrets he couldn't escape.

In that moment, Janice sensed the weight of isolation he bore.

She realized that the monster she'd feared might be a mask he wore to protect himself, a barrier against the grief and suspicion that followed him.

As days turned to weeks, Janice found herself questioning everything she had assumed about Jason.

The fear that had gripped her began to give way to something else an understanding, a growing respect for the man behind the throne. She saw a side of him that the world outside these castle walls had never seen.

One evening, Jason joined her in the library. He was more at ease, less guarded, and for the first time, Janice saw a glimmer of warmth in his eyes.

Janice sat by the fireplace, reading a history of Danica when she heard footsteps. Jason entered looking surprise to find her there.

I don't expect company tonight, Jason murmur to himself, moving to the book shelves. Can I join you?

Janice noded, unsure of what to say.

They sat in silence, gradually she felt the tension ease

Do you love the woods as a child? He asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

Yes, I love to sneak out with my maid to pick wildflower. She replied, smiling faintly

A laugh echoes the library from him, I'd climb trees hiding from my tutor.

They both share a look, both taken back by there shared past. As they continue talking.

They talked of their childhoods, their dreams, and their burdens as leaders. Jason spoke of the people he fought to protect, his deep sense of duty, and the difficult choices he had made to keep his kingdom safe.

They shared stories of the simple things they missed; walks in the woods, laughter without restraint.

Janice found herself laughing with him, a sound she hadn't heard from herself in years.

That night, she understood that Jason was not the monster she had feared but a man burdened by duty and haunted by tragedy.

For the first time, she felt a connection, a bond forged in shared loneliness and resilience.

As they continued to talk, Janice's heart softened, and she began to trust him.

The fear that had once ruled her mind dissolved, replaced by something far more powerful.

In that moment, she realized she was no longer surviving her marriage; she was beginning to live it.