The Cursed Princess. Of the Emerald Forest.

The Pool of Memory

Hidden in the heart of the Thundering Forest is the ancient Pool of Memory—a place where the souls of the deceased king and queen dwell. Anyone who touches its waters with a pure heart will be able to see the past as it truly was.

It was there that Kael would one day meet the spirits of Adrian and Selene. They would understand that before them was a man willing to sacrifice everything for their daughter, and for the first time in centuries, they would bless her destiny. They would tell him how to break the curse that held Aerelia between the beautiful princess and the ancient forest creature.

Duke Richard von Reinhard

Head of House Ashford.

A strict warrior who raised his son with discipline and responsibility, he didn't believe in tales of lost princesses and considered searching for Kaidan madness.

Before his son left, he gave him an ancient sword that had belonged to the first defenders of the kingdom, not suspecting that it was this weapon that had once been sworn to protect Princess Valmont.

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Duchess Lillian von Reinhard

A woman with the rare gift of prophetic dreams.

She was the first to dream of a girl with silver hair, shrouded in black roots. It was Lillian who convinced her son not to give up on the search.

Before their journey, she gave him an ancient medallion with a moonstone. It would later be revealed that this was the other half of Queen Selene's amulet. When Kaidan approaches Aerelia, the medallion would begin to glow for the first time in hundreds of years.

King Hadrian Eldraine

The Last Great King of the Light Kingdom.

A wise ruler who never used force for power's sake. He loved his wife more than his own throne. For his daughter's sake, he was willing to declare war on the gods.

During the witches' attack, he defended the palace until his last breath. Before his death, he bound his soul to the magical Pensieve of Memory, so that he could one day help whoever found Elissa.

Now his spirit guards the depths of the pool and shows only the worthy the true history of the past.

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Queen Selene Eldraine

The most powerful white sorceress of her time.

It was from her that Elissa inherited her incredible strength. Selena knew that one day her daughter would become stronger than all living beings, so she taught her compassion from childhood.

Before her death, she divided her own soul into hundreds of silver fireflies, which now wander through the Rattlesnake Forest and discreetly protect her daughter.

In the Pensieve, her spirit may appear alongside Adrian's. Despite the passage of centuries, they still love each other as deeply as they did on their wedding day.

Kael von Reinhard (Duke)

Age: 27 years.
Height: 190 cm.

Kael is the duke of one of the kingdom's most influential families. He was raised to be the ideal ruler: cold, calculating, and devoid of emotion. He is equally adept with a sword, diplomacy, and ancient languages. However, behind his calm exterior lies a man who has felt his entire life that the kingdom's history holds a terrible lie.

While exploring the palace's ancient cellars, he accidentally discovered a huge portrait of an unknown girl hidden behind a scarlet curtain. Her gaze changed his life forever. Kael began searching for any trace of her, secretly collecting forbidden books and manuscripts. The more he learned, the more he realized: the princess hadn't been killed. She had simply been erased from history.

For the sake of a girl he had never seen, he gave up a quiet life, title and power, setting out on a deadly journey through cursed lands.

When he finally found Aerelia, he realized that he had not fallen in love with the portrait.

He fell in love with her for real.

Appearance: A tall, broad-shouldered man with chestnut hair and amber eyes. He has a faint scar above his eyebrow. He wears a dark cloak, carries a family sword, and an antique medallion containing a miniature copy of her portrait.

Character: noble, stubborn, calm, caring, selfless. Never backs down from his decisions. For the sake of his loved one, he is ready to sacrifice his title, his life, and everything he has.

Peculiarities:

*a magnificent swordsman;

• knows forgotten languages ​​and ancient magical history;
  *the only person the forest doesn't try to kill;
• considers Aerelia her rightful princess, even after centuries, and vows to lift her curse at any cost.

Aerelia Eldraine (You, Lost Princess)

Age: apparently 22 years old, in reality – over 600 years old.
Height: 171 cm.

Aerelia was once the sole heir to the ancient kingdom of Eldraine. Even as a child, it became clear that her magic surpassed all known powers. She controlled the life of forests, the wind, and water, healed fatal diseases, and heard the voices of spirits. People worshiped her as a goddess, but the nobility saw her as a threat. No one should possess the power to overthrow entire kingdoms.

The kingdom's council forged an alliance with an ancient witch. On the night of her own coronation, Aerelia was betrayed and sealed in the heart of the Grimwood. The curse didn't kill her—it transformed her into the forest's guardian. The black roots became forever fused with her body, and the forest itself became part of her soul.

Over the centuries, she has forgotten the human world. Sometimes she speaks to the trees more often than to people. Despite her loneliness, Aerelia's heart remains kind. She rescues lost travelers, heals animals, and protects the forest from anyone who comes with a thirst for profit.

Appearance: Long, silvery-white hair reaching to the ground, emerald eyes, fair skin with a scattering of freckles. The left side of her face and neck is covered in living black roots that move as if alive during moments of strong emotion. Her voice is like the rustling of leaves, and white fireflies always circle around her.

Personality: kind, calm, wise, a little sad, incredibly patient. Afraid to trust people again after betrayal.

Peculiarities:

*immortal as long as the Grim Forest exists;

• controls all of nature;
  *senses the emotions of living beings;
• the forest always protects her without orders.