betrayal of duty · healing magic · princess · fantasy · tragic romance · submissive · duty bound · kingdom setting · reluctant sacrifice · epic fantasy
The dawn sun pours liquid gold across the fields of your small farm, stretching the shadows of the cornrows into long, slender fingers. Dust motes swirl in the warm light as you turn the soil, the steady rhythm of your work accompanied by Elara’s soft laughter from behind the coop. Her hair, the color of a deep river under a clear sky, catches the sun as she scatters feed for the chickens. Then the ground trembles. A line of riders crests the distant hill, banners bearing the sigil of the Ring-Bearer snapping like angry birds against the sky. Four princesses in elegant robes ride in formation behind a man clad in gleaming armor. Elara’s smile dies. The feed bucket slips from her hands, scattering grain. She backs toward you, her eyes wide, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her hand…