Having grown up together, Selena Campbell and Frederick Lancaster were childhood sweethearts known as the perfect golden couple.

To support him, she planned every step with painstaking care and calculated each move to perfection. She eliminated every obstacle in his path and paved the way for him to become the only Warbringer in Aurensia.

Selena thought their love would eventually lead to marriage.

But one day, a plain-looking young woman suddenly walked into Frederick’s life.

At first, he said, "A mountain girl like her? She's beneath you, hardly even worth a second glance."

Later, he said, "She's simple-minded and naive. Don't bother with her, Lena."

But Selena slowly came to realise that the way Frederick looked at her was growing colder by the day. And when he looked at that young woman, there was a spark in his eyes—like he'd come alive again, full of the passion and recklessness of youth.

One day, Frederick turned to her with a weary look and said, "Selena, how's our picture-perfect life treating you? Because honestly... I think I'm getting a little tired of it."

That very night, Selena tore up the betrothal contract and left without a backward glance.

"You won't survive without me!" Frederick roared furiously.

But Selena smiled softly. "No. You're nothing without me, Your Highness."

The first time Selena Campbell saw Freya Talmar was the very moment the latter tried to assassinate Frederick Lancaster, Selena's fiancé.

Though Freya was quickly captured after her failed attempt, Frederick did not punish her. Instead, he found something unusual in the ragged, fierce young woman.

"Are you really Henry Talmar's daughter?" Frederick asked, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the disheveled girl before him. "Lift your head so I can see you."

Frederick was a prince and Warbringer of Aurensia, a man whom every soldier obeyed without question.

But in the face of his anger, Freya stood proud and unyielding. "Kill me if you will. If I so much as frown, I have no right to call myself the daughter of the Desert Hawk."

Her spirit was unbreakable, her pride fierce. That image was etched deeply into Frederick's mind.

He grabbed her chin and lifted her grimy face. "To dare speak so boldly before me means you truly are unafraid of death."

"Let me go!" Freya snapped, struggling but unable to break free. "You scum! If you have the guts, then kill me!"

Frederick did not take offense.

Instead, his thin lips curved into a faint smile. "You are the first woman brave enough to curse me. How interesting."

Selena felt her heart tighten for reasons she could not explain.

The exchange between Frederick and Freya made her feel like nothing more than a background character in their story. And as time went on, Frederick's actions only made it clearer that Selena had become entangled in the twisted bond between the other two, a pawn in a game of love and war.

To force Freya to reveal Henry's remaining allies, Frederick imprisoned and interrogated her himself.

Frederick had defeated Henry's forces and was commanding the army's reorganization before they returned victoriously to the capital. Selena, the strategist, found herself with little to do after the battle. Her days passed quietly, spent reading or sewing.

Selena and Frederick's wedding was set for the first day of the next month. It was a match arranged long ago by her late parents. From the time they were children, she and Frederick had been the perfect pair — the golden boy and the darling girl, a match of charm and beauty that everyone envied.

Selena looked forward to the wedding with great anticipation. She even planned to sew her own wedding gown by hand.

However, Frederick seemed quite busy lately. At first, he came home every day to dine with her. But soon enough, entire days passed without a glimpse of him.

Rumor had it that he was still rooting out Henry's remaining allies. Each day, he rode across the desert with Freya, pressing her to reveal where the remnants of the enemy forces hid. People said that Freya was fierce-tempered and had faced death without fear in the beginning.

"If she was so fearless, why did she end up betraying her family's allies?" Selena asked casually while her maid, Sally Mauve, was gossiping nearby.

"It's said His Highness finally convinced her. He made her see that those men were cruel to the border townsfolk. They're not exactly heroes, so she chose honor over blood," Sally replied.

Selena slowed her sewing for a moment but quickly resumed. "So, Freya earned herself some credit then?"

Sally snorted. "Her father was a notorious bandit. No matter what she does, it won't wipe that away. Still, His Highness is a man of great reputation. He wouldn't punish a young woman like her. Since she cooperated, he likely spared her the law's wrath."

Selena said nothing.

Sally was never one to keep quiet and soon began complaining again. "But that woman has such a terrible temper. Can you believe she actually tore up His Highness' most prized military book?"

"Oh?" Selena raised an eyebrow. "And His Highness didn't get angry?"

"At first, of course he was furious. He had her imprisoned, but somehow let her go again. And after that, guess what? Ms. Talmar grew even more reckless. She even wounded one of the soldiers sent to capture her father."

Selena's face darkened, her expression serious. "How did His Highness deal with her?"

At her young age, Freya could get away with minor mischief. But to injure a soldier? That was a grave offense!

Sally huffed. "His Highness said she was still shaken and upset from losing her family. So, he only gave her a few light strikes on the hand before sending her off to rest."

A flicker of unease passed through Selena's mind. The general who had led the troops against Henry was none other than her brother, Sebastian Campbell. Before she could say anything, urgent knocking came at the door.

"Lady Campbell! It's bad news! General Campbell has been hurt!"

Freya had stabbed Sebastian right in his lower abdomen.

When Selena arrived, she saw her brother lying in bed, barely clinging to life. The physician had already bandaged the wound. The trousers he had removed were soaked in blood.

With trembling hands, the physician said, "I fear that General Campbell may no longer sire children."

Selena's mind went blank.

Gideon Campbell, the Duke of Blackmoor and Selena's grandfather, led a household defined by unwavering loyalty and sacrifice. All three of his sons had fallen on the battlefield.

Thomas Campbell, Selena's father, was the eldest son and held the title Marquis of Whitgrave. When he died, he left behind only two children—Selena and Sebastian. Selena's two younger uncles had died young. One had gotten married just before going to battle but had no children, while the other had been unmarried.

That left Sebastian as the last male heir of their family. And with a single strike, Freya had ended the Campbell line for good.

Sebastian was a loyal and upright man, and that wretched woman had ruined his life!

Selena grabbed the dagger off the floor and rushed out.

"My lady! Don't be rash!" Sally called after her in worry, eyes rimmed red.

There was no need to seek out Freya, as Frederick was already dragging her into the courtyard.

"Let me go!" Freya yelled, her pride unbroken even as she fought to break free. She lifted her leg and kicked him sharply in the calf. "You scum! Release me at once!"

Frederick didn't flinch at the kick, but when he saw the dagger in Selena's hand, his face changed. "Lena..."

Without a word, Selena raised the blade and strode forward. She aimed a swift, fierce strike at Freya.

"What are you doing, Lena?" Frederick quickly caught her wrist, his voice urgent. "Let's talk this through."

Selena struggled to free herself. "She ruined my brother. There's nothing to talk about! She stabbed him once, so I'll return the favor!"

"Lena, it's all a misunderstanding. I'll take her to General Campbell myself to apologize."

"An apology?" Selena almost laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. "She destroyed my brother's life. Do you think an apology can make that right?"

"I won't apologize for a thing! So what if I was the one who struck the blow?" Freya glared at Selena, pride burning in her eyes. "Sebastian led the hunt that caused my father and brother's deaths. I only stabbed him once for that. He got off easy!"

"Your family rebelled and brought ruin. Countless innocents died at their hands. They deserved their fate," Selena countered.

When Frederick held Selena's wrist firmly, she lifted her head to meet his gaze with cold, red-rimmed eyes.

"My brother earned his honor by quelling the rebellion. He's a hero. And this woman? She's not only the daughter of a traitor but also a murderer of loyal men. Are you really going to protect her, Your Highness?" she said, her voice hoarse with anger.

"Lena, she's young. She doesn't understand—"

"She understands nothing, yet she knows how to bring utter ruin upon my family's legacy?"

For as long as Selena and Frederick had known each other, this was the first time they regarded each other with such icy disdain. She was usually patient and never argued with him. He often wondered if she even had a temper at all.

But this time was different. For the first time in his life, he witnessed her fury with his own eyes.

"No one from the Duke of Blackmoor's household can be bullied so easily," Selena said coldly, staring Frederick down even as he continued to keep a tight grip on her wrist.

Suddenly, she relaxed her fingers. The dagger slipped from her hand, but she caught it with her left hand and twisted her wrist sharply.

Freya's scream echoed through the room before she collapsed to the ground, trembling in violent spasms. It all happened so fast that even Frederick couldn't react in time. His face went pale with shock, and he quickly shoved Selena aside.

"Wretch!" he called out to Freya, gathering her into his arms.

Freya's chest was covered in blood. Selena's dagger had cut deeply, tearing through the girl's fragile body.

"Guards! Get a physician! Hurry!" Frederick shouted, his face still drained of color.

He immediately lowered his gaze and stared hard at Selena, not even noticing the flicker of murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "She's just a young girl. Why are you so cruel to her? You've gone too far, Selena!"

The look Frederick gave Selena was like a knife to her heart. They had known each other for years and were to be married next month. Yet here he was, filled with murderous intent over a young woman he had known for less than half a month.

All their years of deep affection and loyalty suddenly seemed laughable in the face of that fleeting flash of deadly rage in his eyes.

She couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Are you seeking revenge for her, Your Highness?"

"I am a prince! You think I wouldn't dare?" Frederick hissed through gritted teeth, every word dripping with menace.

Sally panicked and rushed forward. "Your Highness, this has nothing to do with Lady Campbell. It was Ms. Talmar who attacked—"

"Begone!"

Frederick raised his foot and kicked Sally hard. She fell to the ground with a heavy thud, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"Sally!" Selena snapped back to her senses and hurried over to help her maid up.

Sally tried to speak, but blood spilled from her mouth, leaving her unable to catch her breath. Eventually, her eyes rolled back as she fainted.

A panicked Selena shouted, "Sally! Wake up!"

Sally had been at her side since childhood. Though a maid, she was like a sister to Selena, who had long considered her as family.

When Frederick saw Selena's desperate fear, his anger finally began to subside. Since he rarely saw her so shaken, he instinctively moved to offer comfort.

But then, Freya whispered hoarsely, "S-scum... it hurts..."

Then, her head lolled to the side and she passed out.

Frederick stared down at her pale face and the blood steadily soaking through her clothes. Whatever pity he'd felt for Selena faded in an instant.

"Since you've already returned the blow, no one is to speak of this matter again. Anyone who dares do so will answer to me. Now... take Sally and see that she's properly cared for."

With that, he lifted the unconscious Freya into his arms and hurried away. Watching his anxious pace and the tension in his back, Selena understood how much he cared for the young woman he held. But she had no energy left to dwell on it.

That day, after settling Sally and ordering others to look after her, Selena stayed by Sebastian's side. When he woke around dusk, he said nothing, his expression blank and wooden.

Selena said nothing too, silently helping her brother drink some water, then gently laying him back down to rest. Refusing to speak, he closed his eyes. It wasn't until midnight that he opened them again, this time with a calmer gaze.

"Lena, that young woman now has Prince Frederick's favor. But he only sees her as an innocent girl, nothing more. Don't read too much into it. I can see clearly that his heart belongs to you alone," he said.

A sharp ache blossomed in Selena's chest. Even with everything, her brother was still thinking of comforting her.

When Selena said nothing, Sebastian continued in a hoarse voice, "Your wedding to Prince Frederick is set for the first day of next month. You've known each other for years. Don't let a simple misunderstanding defeat you."

"I'm fine, Seb. There's no need to comfort me."

Selena squeezed his hand and realized it was ice cold, just like her heart.

"Get well soon. There will definitely be a way in the future, I'm sure of it," she said softly.

"Alright."

He closed his eyes once more, but this time he turned his head slightly so the tears pooling at the corner of his eyes could fall unseen onto the pillow. He didn't want his beloved sister to see him cry.

Selena saw it clearly. But for the sake of his pride, she had no choice but to pretend she didn't notice.

For the next three days, she didn't see Frederick. It was only on the third night that he finally returned, his footsteps heavy as he entered the courtyard.

"Lena, I don't know what's come over me lately. Help me. I feel like I'm losing my mind."