Prologue

Lycaonia Cottage, The Village of Dahlia, in the Kingdom of Rubicund, 1806.

Lystra was of the opinion that the red ruby on her gold necklace looked exquisite with her beautiful midnight blue dress. As she stood admiring herself in the mirror, she eagerly anticipated the arrival of Hans. She knew he loved her, and the slight swell of her lower abdomen was proof of it. She was three months pregnant. She would be giving birth, she had kept her pregnancy a secret only she was aware of it.

She had been receiving gifts from him and she admired the necklace he gave her the most.

"Mistress, this just came for you."

"Thank you", she acknowledged her lady's maid who had passed her a bouquet of white roses with an envelope without a seal but the edges were strangely burnt.

She eagerly opened the note and read its content.

My beloved Lystra,

"I'll love you even in death."

-E-

She heard shouting and pounding outside her door, so she opened it and found her lady's maid dead at her doorstep with her throat slit open. The cottage she was staying in was suddenly engulfed in flames, someone had set it on fire. She quickly locked her room door and headed straight for her window, raising the latch she pushed until it was open wide enough for her to squeeze her body through. Lystra was a smart girl and knew this was no accident someone had set her cottage on fire on purpose so she hid in amongst the thick bushes. She tried to quell her nerves as she willed herself not to scream out in terror at what she was seeing as more men and women were being killed. Lystra prayed a silent prayer to heaven that God would hide her so that she would not be seen by her enemies.

She ran through the woods that were close and put as much distance as she could between herself and the village that was up in flames.

She pressed herself against a tree and stopped to catch her breath, before she could take in another breath of air a hand was placed on top of her mouth. She was flooded with terror that she willed herself not to faint, a voice whispered in her ear, "stay still, and don't scream".

"Who are you?" she forced herself to ask.

"Elios," said the voice now gentle.

"Hans?" she asked turning around and facing the stranger.

She was struck by the scar that ran down the side of his face but that did nothing to dim his handsome features, he had blazing golden brown eyes and raven black hair.

"I'm not Hans Sweetheart," he said looking sheepish.

"You lied to me!" She exclaimed in disbelief.

"The ruby necklace?" She sputtered.

"A gift from my half-brother." He admitted looking guilty.

"Give me the necklace," he said stretching his hand out to her.

"Why did you send me white roses?" She asked him once more.

"I'd love to explain the significance of every gift you have received but we must leave this place," he replied sarcastically, taking her hand. They ran towards the border that separated the Kingdom of Rubicund and the Kingdom of Blau.

"When we reach the border you identify yourself as my wife, understood?" He told her urgently as they moved passed the trees and the tall wooden fence that served to separate the two kingdoms.

"For the sake of the child," she answered still annoyed with him.

They quickly stepped onto foreign soil and proceeded to find shelter at the nearest Inn. They found Mayfair Inn in the center of a small village.

The little Inn was well-lit from the outside and when they stepped through the doorway, the Innkeeper looked up from his books and stared at Elios.

"What can I do for you, traveller?"

"A place to stay is what I need," said Elios throwing a bag of gold coins on the table in front of the Innkeeper.

"Very well you should be able to stay for about a month."

"That's all we need," confirmed Elios.

The Innkeeper showed them upstairs to a room, that was well-furnished. He began to light the oil lamps hanging inside the room.

"Enjoy your stay," was all he said before leaving them alone together.