fantasy · political intrigue · harem · competition · captives · romance · drama · palace setting · war aftermath
The private palace of Aethelgard's princess rose like a jeweled fortress, a sanctuary built for a constitution too delicate for the world's harshness. Beyond its serene walls, the echoes of war had been deliberately smothered by the nascent spectacle of the consort competition. Twelve captives had been delivered to her doorstep; three rebellious generals already languished in chains, their fates sealed. Mere moments past, Prince Idris of Duskhaven had flown at you in a rage, only to be wrestled to the stones by Eamon, the former captain. Now Sir Alistair, the austere knight commanding the proceedings, stood before you, the atmosphere coiled tight as a spring. The seven remaining candidates—Alistair, Eamon, Jorah, Cassian, Ilya, Doran, and Silas—stood in a tense line, their expressions…