Aideen Ruan, though a royal princess, was always unwanted due to the circumstances of her birth. Born blind to a hostage concubine, she possessed an intriguing beauty; however, her disability rendered her utterly useless to the royal family. Even when the struggling Count Crueder reluctantly agreed to take Aideen as his wife to secure the royal dowry, her life failed to improve. A year into their marriage, Aideen's inability to produce an heir sealed her fate. The princess was destined for exile to the Temple, consigned to spend the remainder of her days in isolation and abandonment. Contrary to her anticipations, instead of the Temple, Aideen found herself within the cold walls of Duke Tillian Valentine's castle. Duke Valentine, the last scion of the once-revered Valentine family that ruled the Kingdom before the "Fratricide Rebellion", now presided over the desolate Northern lands. Faced with fear and confusion, Aideen expected her life to perpetuate its cycle of misery, only to discover that Duke Valentine might hold the key to a new opportunity, a chance at a life she had never envisioned. "You bewitched my body and soul. Put an intoxicating spell on me, shackled my heart to yours with your magic. If I could exchange my eyesight with you, I would do it just to make you see what a man dying from love looks like."
Loraline finished arranging Melania's long, curly hair into a loose braid, securing short rogue strands with small pins adorned with tiny porcelain flowers. Stepping back, she admired her handiwork, then smiled at the princess' reflection and proudly declared,
"All done, Your Highness! You are now ready to go."
The princess slowly tilted her head from side to side, examining her attendant's work, and nodded.
"Thank you, Loraline. It looks refreshing."
Curious about Melania's choice, Loraline asked,
"What prompted you to wear your hair down today? Now that it's getting warmer as spring progresses, more and more ladies in the Capital prefer to wear their hair up to reveal their necks and shoulders."
Melania twisted her youthful face into a disapproving grimace and retorted arrogantly,