Prologue

The day after her 18th birthday, the beloved Princess Magdalene of Arabel ran away from the palace that had been her entire world. She was leaving behind the suffocating life that she detested. The life where she had no say or control over anything.

Now as she came of age, Magdalene was expected to fulfil her engagement to the younger prince of the Royal House of Caston. Except in her mind there wasn't going to be any royal wedding. Magdalene had no interest in being a pawn to her father's political game.

Princess Magdalene had been planning her escape for years and it all started with the discovery of a secret passageway in her grandmother's dressing room.

No one had paid much attention to her ailing grandmother, the warm-hearted lady who possessed the power to see into the future through her dreams. The King had long since dismissed his mother from all royal duties and appearances. When she passed away there was a simple funeral for formality's sake but that was it. No one cared to clean her quarters in the neglected Northern Wing, let alone go near it. The perfect setting for Magdalene to sneak in unnoticed and take the passageway which took her beyond the palace grounds.She cut her long hair and disguised herself as a commoner in plain clothes and made her escape.

But Magdalene isn't the main protagonist in this story. All that needs to be known is that she escaped into the woods, ran into some mountain bandits and found herself tied up in a cart that was bound for the dark Eastern Kingdom. Had it not been for an ambush by Kaion's fierce nomadic tribe, she would have ended up a concubine if not a plaything for one of the Eastern barbarians.

For Kaion and Magdalene it was love at first sight and the two shared some of their best moments in life together. Sadly fate was not on their side. Magdalene's father passed away and her brother the new King Mordine of Arabel ascended to the throne. He was as cold and ruthless as the former King and one of the first things he vowed to do was to find his sister and honour the engagement with the Caston House, reaffirming their alliance.

The fiercest fighters were sent on a rescue mission to bring back Princess Magdalene and they succeeded. Kaion was defeated and to King Mordine's disgust, his sister returned home with a full belly. Magdalene's contractions came a month later and as she endured hours of agonising labour pains, she reflected on her life. She instinctively knew that her life was slipping away and all of a sudden she heard her grandmother's voice Magdalene, you have done what needs to be done. It's time to rest.

***

Shortly after announcing the birth of a baby princess, the doctor pronounced the death of Princess Magdalene. King Mordine, who had just entered followed by his Queen, dismissed everyone from the room.

Mordine walked over and gave a quick disdainful look at his deceased sister and her baby. Wisps of dark hair crowned the baby's head.

"A disgrace." Mordine wanted to dispose of the baby right away but his Queen had a different idea.

"My King, a princess will have her uses when she comes of age."

"Who will want her? That thing doesn't possess the hallmarks of an Arabel royal," he scoffed.

It was true. The Arabel royals were particularly known for their pure golden hair and blue eyes. In fact, it was hard to find any royal in the Western Kingdom with hair darker than a light shade of brown. Even the commoners had hair lighter than this baby.

"You never know. Some people have peculiar tastes and fondness for rare things. I will see to it that she is raised properly and rest assured, she will be a most useful asset to you," his Queen assured him.

"Fine. Do what you must Minerva but keep that thing out of my sight," the King muttered as he turned to leave the room.

Minerva was well known for her shrewdness as well as her kind manner. She was indeed shrewd but her outward kindness masked the real ruthlessness that lay inside. Everything was a calculation working towards the sole goal of making her son Elron, the strongest King Arabel would ever see. If only she knew the trouble this baby was going to bring.

And so began the life of Kaira-Olivia Arabel.