**I wanted to stop reading so many times in the beginning. It was hard to watch the FL fawn and flutter over this indifferent man but wow did the story take a turn! **
A tragic tale with a happy ending. The story of the heir to one of the most respected families, a principled man who stood above them all — falling to slavery, his entire family executed, jaded but learning the love. Until everything falls apart and war ensues. An heir, a slave, and later a killer …until he finds her again.
The story of a girl, who grew up in a remote town, playing in the woods, with her brother and parents. A girl who fells so deeply in love with this man she had only met once. A girl who later loses everything too — her 12 year old brother who dies in war, her father who dies in the capital grief struck by his son’s death, her mother who took her own life. Searching still for the one person who may still be alive.
———
MAIN CHARACTERS 4q3l41
👒 Harrietta
- the type to fall deeply in love at first sight
- follows her crush around
- mischievous, clumsy, innocent
- very openly shows affection
- grew up remotely. A lot of freedom
🌙 Edwin Benedict De Vere Redford
- jaded, fearful,
- was part of most highly respected family
- family accused of treason, whole fam executed.
- became slave with no name
♟️Bernard Chenchilla Shane Pasturt (2nd ML)
- second prince of neighbouring kingdom
- rumoured to be bloodthirsty womaniser
- nonchalant, careless
———
ASPECTS / TROPES 6a5l6e
- She falls first
- Flawed but loving family
- Ceronaque’s (prophet of the dark) prophecy
- The prophet has the ear of the emperor
- A self fulfilling prophecy
- Forced into a false identity as illegitimate princess
- Forced into arranged marriage on behalf of country
- Takes a dark turn ch 43
- Becomes a nurse in the war
The FL likes him but to an almost creepy, obsessed fan girl kind of way: following him around, watching him, fantasising about him, crying and ill in bed hearing he’s taken (literally met once. Didn’t talk), taking a piece of his hair to keep as a token in her necklace without his knowledge…. Like many other commenters noted, it reminded them of k-pop idols and some of their (obsessive) fans where the FL saw the ML as this handsome, untouchable and irable icon.
I will say the romance with the second male lead wasn’t very developed but thinking of the story as whole, it still makes for a beautiful fairytale. A possible alternative future that she chose to walk away from, one that lead to their (the main couple’s) continuing love as they grow old.
———
CONTENT WARNINGS 4n1h5h
Drugs (mention), execution (past), suicide ideation, slavery, blackmail, murder, blood, war, suicide,