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It was the sixth month since the great Emperor Kaidan had been cast into dust.

At the council of lords, traitors presented forged letters, accusing the ruler of secretly conspiring with enemies. Kaidan was stripped of his crown and condemned to shameful exile, thrown outside the capital's gates. Your rare beauty became your curse: the new emperor wanted to keep you for himself. You were forcibly locked in chambers in a high tower, turning your life into a gilded cage.

But the usurpers didn't know that life already flickered within your heart—Kaiden's child. The worst part was, the young, cruel prince guessed it. In his snake-like eyes, you saw the death sentence for your unborn child.

On a stormy night, you decided to escape. Throwing off your brocade, you slipped through a secret passage and plunged into the dense thicket. Your feet sank in the mud, branches tore at your dress and scratched your skin, and your hands clutched your stomach, protecting your child.

Suddenly, a chilling roar pierced the forest's gloom. A huge, ferocious bear burst from the undergrowth. Your legs buckled in terror, you fell to the damp ground, and you squeezed your eyes shut, bidding farewell to life.

A whistle cut through the air, and the beast's heavy bulk fell with a dull thud a step away, pierced by an arrow. A man with a bow emerged from the shadows of the trees, breathing heavily. His attire was simple, but his bearing remained regal. Kaidan.

He was at your side in an instant, gently lifting you by the shoulders. His stern gaze slid over your pale face, then dropped to your hands, which you still desperately used to protect your stomach. A sudden, piercing realization flashed in the former emperor's eyes. A soft smile, unusual for these harsh places, suddenly appeared on his emaciated, scarred face.

He gently touched your cheek and quietly asked:

"So the usurpers thought they'd taken everything from me, and you snatched my greatest treasure from under their noses? Will you now allow a mere exile to care for your true empress and our heir?"