"What's the essence of love when you're destined to kill the monster you've come to love?"~~~~

Welcome to a world of beauty, yet shadowed by war that has raged for the past 19 years. During this time, the bloodlines of royalty have suffered greatly.

The Kingdom of Elyria, once a place of peace, elegance, and prosperity has been reduced to rubble.

The birth of the new queen marked the beginning of the downfall. War broke out, and everything was torn apart: families, councils, noble houses.

But as you know, a kingdom can either be rebuilt or destroyed, depending on who holds the power.

And it did... It fell into the wrong hands. With the king and queen gone, and their daughter nowhere to be found, Elyria is now under the rule of ruthless, power-hungry demons.

The people of Elyria were forced to live in constant fear, their freedoms and rights stripped away. Once a kingdom of beauty and peace, it was now a mere shadow of its former self.

Year 20: The Era of Ravenswood

"Little pie, bring us two more beers," a large, rotund man bellowed, giving a young, beautiful tavern maid a playful wink. She had snow-white skin, her dress a worn, burnt-orange velvet adorned with golden embroidery. A sturdy leather apron hung over her dress, and knee-high leather boots completed her attire.

A crisp white apron covered her dress, and a delicate golden flower pendant hung around her neck. Her red wine-colored hair was tied neatly in a ponytail.

With two-colored eyes, she met his gaze with a cold, unflinching stare.

"Coming right up, Silver," she replied, filling the tankards with beer. "What brings you here this afternoon?"

"You, my lady," Silver said with a sly grin, his voice softening. "Looking as beautiful as ever." He cleared his throat, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer.

"Has that handsome prince proposed yet, Lyn?" Silver asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

The men seated around Silver chuckled, and one tipsy man took a long swig from his beer, his dreamy eyes never leaving the tavern maid.

"You should forget about him, Isolyn, and take a look at us instead," he said with a grin. At that moment, the woman beside him punched his shoulder playfully and laughed.

"You know, she doesn't know yet…"

"Know what?" Isolyn interrupted, setting the two beers Silver had ordered on the table. She leaned closer to the woman who had spoken, her expression curious.

"Curiosity kills the cat, Lyn," the woman replied with a sly smile. "You should ask him yourself. It's better to hear it from him or maybe just forget about him altogether. You two are on different levels, Lyn."

The woman shrugged, then downed her remaining beer in one go.

Just then, two guards stepped into the tavern, halting in front of Isolyn. One of them pulled a piece of scroll from his hand.

"Prince Luka summons you," one of the guards announced.

Isolyn was taken aback, her gaze flicking between the guards. "Something doesn't feel right. Why summon me when all he's done is come looking for me?" she thought.

"You mustn't refuse, Lady Isolyn," the guard added, his tone laced with disdain.

Isolyn gave a small nod, offering a polite smile in response.

"Give me a moment to change," she said, her expression hardening.

The guard swallowed his irritation, resisting the urge to speak. He knew if he said anything, he might end up with more than just words in return, especially with the curious eyes of the tavern's patrons watching.

Isolyn made her way to the back and changed into the finest blue gown she had, then rubbed a little honey balm on her lips.

"Maybe I should try giving in. A kiss might do today," she thought, a blush creeping across her cheeks as she smiled lightly.

Though Prince Luka had been courting her for some time, they had yet to share any physical intimacy. Part of her took pride in that.

"What if he's about to pop the question?" a short, round lady asked as she braided Isolyn's hair into neat cornrows.

"Hm, I don't know, Laine. Don't get my hopes up," Isolyn replied, furrowing her brow.

"Aww, I know what's going on here. You're worried he might dump you for a noble lady, right, Lyn?"

"Exactly. He's a prince, and look at me... a commoner. What if his heart stops beating for me?" Isolyn sighed, her voice heavy with uncertainty.

Laine chuckled softly and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Then you better get the answer straight from him, dear. But make sure you listen to your heart."

Laine stepped down from the stool she'd been standing on. "All set. Go have a lovely time with your prince. But remember, be back home early. A young lady like you shouldn't be wandering the streets alone at night."

"Yes, Miss Laine," Isolyn nodded, offering a small, grateful smile.

She left the tavern with the guards, stepping into the open carriage one of them had held for her. The horses took off, and the journey began.

Isolyn stared out the window of the carriage, letting out a soft hiss as she realized they weren't heading toward their usual spot. "Maybe it's truly a surprise, she thought, offering herself a small smile."

After over thirty minutes of travel, Isolyn drifted off to sleep. She woke up with a start when the carriage finally came to a stop.

"Hmm, how long have I been sleeping?" she muttered to herself, waiting for the carriage door to open.

It swung open, and one of the guards stood there, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Follow me, Lady Isolyn," he commanded.

Isolyn nodded and came down from the carriage, her boots sinking into the damp earth.

She followed the guards, their torches fire casting flickering shadows on the ground.

The pathway, winding and narrow, led them through a dense thicket of trees, their branches creaking ominously in the wind.

As they walked, the darkness seemed to grow thicker, like a fog that clung to her skin.

They rounded a bend in the path, Isolyn saw a figure: an imposingly beautiful lady who bore a striking resemblance to Luka, the prince she had been dating.

The lady stood tall, her presence commanding attention. Beside her stood two other ladies, their heads bent in unison, their faces hidden from view.

Isolyn's heart quickened as she approached, the lady's eyes caught hers. Disgust written over it which Isolyn saw and shivered a bit.

"Why do I have a bad feeling today is going to be a long day?" She said to herself.

"What is this place?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

The guard on her left leaned in, his voice low and menacing. "Nowhere. Just relax and don't ask any questions. You might leave here alive," he murmured. Isolyn's pupils widened in fear.

But she quickly regained her composure and kept walking until she stood before the woman in front of her.

"What a smelling little rat bar, my son has gotten himself involved with," the lady sneered. Isolyn's fists clenched at her sides.

"Who are you to…" Before she could finish, the guard on her right spun her around and slammed her against the wall, cutting off her words with a swift movement.

Not giving her a chance to break free. "Slaves like you have no right to talk to the Queen like that!" The guard shouted, his voice piercing Isolyn's eardrums and leaving her in a state of terror.

Tears dripped from Isolyn's eyes as her body ached in pain. "I'll go straight to the point," the queen said, yawning gracefully.

"My son doesn't need a commoner like you to be his wife." She paused, a hint of disdain in her voice. "But a mistress won't be bad. You're suited for that role."

Before the queen could continue, she signaled the guard to release Isolyn.

But just as the guard was about to comply, he received a swift kick to the groin and doubled over in agony, clutching his injured area as he struggled to endure the pain.

Seeing this as her only chance to escape, Isolyn made a break for it, but the second guard caught her off guard and grabbed her. However, just as he restrained her, the Queen gave him a subtle signal to stop, and he immediately released his grip.

"Trying to escape will only put the people you love in danger," the Queen warned, her voice dripping with malice.

"From tomorrow onwards, you will be working for me," she stated, giving Isolyn a menacing smile.

"No, I can't," Isolyn said, trembling as she tried to compose herself.

The Queen's smirk grew wider. "I can send my guards to shut down the Tavern where you work. And trust me, you wouldn't want to see your family on the streets, begging. Would you?"

"No, my Lady!" Isolyn shouted, pleading as she fell to her knees.

"Begging won't help you, Isolyn," the Queen replied, her voice cold and detached. "Isn't your name a beautiful, royal name, though? Hmm..." She trailed off, lost in thought.

Just then, Prince Luka appeared out of nowhere, his voice firm and commanding. "Mother, what are you doing?"

The queen raised her head as she sighted her son and smiled.

The queen raised her head as she caught sight of her son and smiled.

"I'm guessing you've caught the bird, right, Mother?" Prince Luka asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced at Isolyn.

His mother, the Queen, nodded demurely, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips.

"Don't worry, I'll leave the two of you to talk," she said, her voice dripping with subtle menace. And with that, she turned and glided away, a satisfied smile still playing on her face.

"Isolyn, you can stand up now," Prince Luka said softly, clearing his throat as he adjusted his attire. He then squatted down to her level, forcing a charming smile onto his face.

"You will always be the one I'll ever love," he declared, his voice firm but his eyes betraying a hint of insincerity. He offered his hand to help Isolyn up, his gaze locking onto hers with a mixture of intensity and pretense.