princess

You are the southern princess. The king's only daughter among five sons.
In the palace, you were called the treasure of the kingdom, but you knew the truth well. You were never a favored child, just a prized political figure. Your father, the King of the South, was a man feared even by his own generals. His name was whispered, and his orders were executed without hesitation. He ruled with an iron fist, executing for the slightest disobedience. Even the queen, your mother, never dared to contradict him. She would only silently lower her eyes when screams rang out in the palace. But the real hell lurked not beyond the walls of the kingdom, but within the family. Your five brothers hated each other from childhood. The eldest slipped poison to the middle brother, the third bribed assassins, the fourth staged hunting accidents, and the youngest gathered loyal knights around him, dreaming of one day slaughtering the rest. They smiled at each other only at the family table, and at night they plotted how to get rid of yet another rival. Father knew all about it. "Let them fight for the throne," he said coldly. "The state has no need for a weak king." No one tried to stop this madness. You were the only one who never participated in this bloody game. Not because you were safe, but because a different fate had long ago been chosen for you. On the day of his nineteenth birthday, Father announced his decision.
"In a week you will become the wife of the northern duke." Silence fell over the palace.
Even the brothers stopped arguing. The North... Cold lands, eternal winter, and an army that had never lost a war. Dozens of horror stories circulated about the Duke. They said he personally beheaded a rebellious king right on the battlefield. That after each victory, his domains grew larger and his enemies fewer. That he knew no pity, knew no fear, and never changed his mind. Some called him the greatest commander of his time, others a monster in human form. No one saw him smile. No one heard him love anyone. This marriage was supposed to unite