“WARS ARE CAUSED BY MEN! IT SEEMS THE ZARAMUUNIAN KING WANTS A WAR!” Lucius shouted to his men, his bloodied sword held high. The Solandrian troops erupted in cheers and war cries. As the nearby Zaramuunian citizens started to flee at the growing rattle of weapons the soldiers beat furiously against their armor.

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GIVE THE KING HIS WAR! KILL EVERY ONE IN SIGHT!” Lucius yelled as his army of 10,000 turned and made their way back toward the Zaramuun Palace Oasis.

Lucius broke out into a gallop, heading straight for the throne room. He would show the Mad King what it meant to make enemies out of the Solandrian Empire. He dared think he could humiliate the great Lucius Junia-Corvus and live to tell the tale? That miserable old fool!

Ammar’s heart caught in his throat as he saw Lucius’s troops in the distance start to retreat and head toward the palace. He had been waiting aside the nobility, for Lucius to fall into his meticulously laid trap… But now he watched in devastation as Lucius ordered his troops to retreat and kill all Zaramunnians in their path. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Ammar clutched his chest and gasped for air, oh god, what had he done? Ammar leaned over and puked off the side of his horse.

“Ammar!” Zahiya yelled, snapping him back to reality.

She was right, Rafiq and Amara were now in mortal danger. Lucius must not kill Rafiq, if he dies now the throne will be reduced to chaos and the Solandrian Empire may very well descend on them with the full force of their military might. He could not let that happen.

“FALL BACK AND PROTECT THE CITIZENS!” Ammar shouted to the soldiers that surrounded him.

“Zahiya, let’s go, HYAH!” Ammar said, urging his horse into an intense gallop.

With his heart in his throat, Ammar tightened his grip on the reins as he raced through the desert sands, stained with the blood of his Zaramuunian countrymen, praying he made it back to the palace in time.  

Lucius galloped through the sandy Zaramuunian streets as his men paved his way with a river of blood and vengeance. Arriving in the courtyard, he hopped off his horse in one swift, agile movement, the vibrations from the ground reverberating through his feet.

Within the enclosed walls of her room, Amara sat on her knees, hands clenched together and eyes shut tightly, praying for Ammar’s swift return. Her eyes shot open when a scream pierced the air. She ran to her window and peeked out into the courtyard. Amara gasped as a soldier in white and blue robes stabbed one of the palace guards. The Solandrian soldiers were murdering the palace staff! She cupped her mouth as her blood ran cold. How could this happen? What was going on? Where was Ammar!?

Amara chanced another peek out the window, that’s when she saw him, a towering man in bloodstained Solandrian colors, but wearing a golden laurel wreath. His back was to her, but she knew that had to be the Emperor! What was he doing killing her people like this?! That- That bastard! How dare he!

With a ragged breath, Amara tried to compose herself as she watched with gritted teeth as he spit in the Oasis, defiling their river of life! She watched as he walked towards the entrance of the throne room and let out an audible gasp, her fathers limp body was being held by two Solandrian guards. She held her breath as she strained to hear the Emperor’s words.

“How dare you beat him before my arrival,” He said, there was no emotion in his voice. Amara was sure he was the devil incarnate. She watched him roughly grab Rafiq's chin, rousing him into consciousness. 

“Stay with me, Mad King, the fun has all but started,” He said, she could hear the smirk in his words. Bastard. That cruel, wretched bastard.

Amara slid to the floor, trying to rack her brain for what to do. Where was Ammar when she needed him, he promised he’d come for her, so where was he? What should she do? If she did nothing, her father would surely die, but if she attempted to save him, would they perish together? She clenched her eyes shut and covered her ears as the distant sounds of battle and screams erupting throughout the Zaramuun Palace grew closer. This slaughter must be stopped, it was her duty. No matter if she failed, she had to do something, her people were dying!

Amara took slow, quiet steps towards her bedroom door. She gripped her hands tightly on the knob, the door was suddenly ripped open, Amara crashing onto the corridor floor. A servant maid crumbled beside her, her mouth ajar, but no sound emitted. Amara looked at the woman's silent scream, then let out one of her own as she saw a long, bloodied blade sticking out of her back.

“Princess Amara, run!” A palace guard shouted.

Before she knew it, Amara was scrambling to her feet, terrified. She didn’t know which way to go, Solandrian troops were everywhere, promptly executing Zaramuunian palace staff and soldiers in cold blood.

“No!” Amara’s eyes widened in horror as she heard her mother’s scream pierce the air.

Amara instantly broke into a run, straight through the courtyard. Climbing over the bodies like obstacles in some sort of sadistic playground to get to the carnage at its source, the throne room. Amara, traumatized and frantic, barged into the throne room. Pushing the heavy doors open with all her might. Only to see a more horrific sight inside.

Her father lay on the ground being whipped by Solandrian guards. Her mother in her rightful place on the throne, but seated beside her was that demon of an Emperor. He was forcing Amara’s mother to watch her husband be beaten to death.

“Stop this at once!” Amara screamed at Lucius, not realizing she had Solandrian blades pointed directly at her. As she flinched, the tip of a sword cut open her upper arm, like a knife slicing through butter. She cried out as  her arm gushed warm red liquid.

Lucius had a natural aura of Command. He leaned forward in his chair to stare at her like a predator would prey. His posture wasn’t just imposing through sheer size, but through the unwavering intensity Lucius had that demanded silence and obedience. Amara herself was at a loss for words when he bore into her like that.

Lucius held up his hand, allowing the guards to stop beating Rafiq and lower their weapons directed at the princess. He didn’t say anything, but simply watched her tremble in fear. He liked the horror-stricken look in those intense amber eyes. The room went quiet. Lucius stared at the bloodied princess. She was indeed beautiful. 

The Heart of Zaramuun was the most accurate title that could have been bestowed upon her. Deep, rich bronze skin and long, flowing dark hair, with intricate Zaramuun gold jewelry adorning her head and delicate neck. Those vividly unique amber eyes that'd stand out in any room.

Lucius couldn’t help but think, Amara Seti was a goddess in the flesh. She wore a cream colored flowing tunic with a high split and low neckline showing her delicate collarbone. It was cinched at the waist with an earth-toned leather belt. Her bronze thighs were only visible when she was in motion, making the style simple and elegant. She wore broad gold cuffs around her wrists that seemed like they might have been heavy enough to drown her in a lake–

“Stop this senseless slaughter of my people! Whatever may have happened, please Your Majesty, I beg for clemency,” Amara shouted as she threw herself to Lucius’s feet on all fours, her forehead on the ground.

Lucius stared down at Amara in amusement. He found her fear-induced tremble quite endearing. Lucius let out a chuckle and pulled out a dagger from his belt with a swish. Amara flinched at the sound, holding her breath for whatever was about to come.

“What do you think, mother? Shall I be a forgiving son-in-law and grant clemency?” Lucius asked, turning to look at Samira. She looked him directly in his eyes and glared, refusing to answer.

“You seem to have something caught in your throat, mother,” Lucius said, bringing his sharp blade to her throat, just as Ammar burst into the throne room Zahiya right behind him!

Amara looked up and felt relief wash over her body. Ammar was here! She slumped down to the ground, weak from the loss of blood.

“Ah! The boy who wants to be king is here. Our negotiations shall re-commence! Attica, come,” Lucius said, lowering his blade from Samira’s throat. As Attica walked towards the king, he stopped at Amara’s slumped-over body on the floor, directly in the way, and looked up at Lucius.

“Oh! My apologies, remove them,” Lucius ordered as the Solandrian guards forcefully removed Amara and her mother from the room.

Amara gasped as she was carried out of the throne room. The carnage she’d hoped to prevent was realized. The palace was a complete mess, dead bodies of both Solandria and Zaramuun lay everywhere. She clenched her eyes shut as she was taken back to her room and a guard was placed at her door. She simply sat in silence trying to dress her wound. The only thing she could do now was pray as she waited to hear their fate.

---------------

After an agonizing night of worrying, Amara was finally able to see Ammar the following morning, only to discover the catastrophic weight of the new agreements with Solandria. Amara trembled as Ammar explained the devastating terms, she couldn’t possibly have been cold in the Zaramuunian heat of The Sunken Kiln, but that’s how she felt inside. Apparently, her desperate act of sacrifice ironically resulted in the worst possible outcome for Zaramuun, but Ammar couldn’t let her know that. It would truly break his sister.

“Lucius seized the opportunity to use fathers deceit against us. The vassalage now reduces Zaramuun to a vassal state, we forfeit our foreign policy. We must also pay a heavy annual tribute of crimson silk,” Ammar explained.

Amara cupped her hands over her mouth in shock, this was horrible! Zaramuun will be reduced to nothing.

“And father?” She asked, lowering her hands.

“He lives, but it is unclear as to when he will wake,” Ammar said with a sigh. Amara nodded and looked down, as Ammar reached out and grabbed Amara’s hands, squeezing them tightly. She looked up at his amber eyes in confusion.

“While Zaramuun received the 150,000 bars of gold, the marriage still stands. You must marry Lucius and bear him a male heir,” Ammar said, holding Amara still as she frantically tried to pull away.

“You swore, Ammar! You swore to protect me!” Amara screamed at him, tears streaming down her face. Ammar could do nothing but hold his sister in his arms as she cried her heart out. He had failed her, Ammar was the true failure to Amara and Zaramuun. His political actions directly caused Amara’s marriage to Lucius and the decline of Zaramuun, but he, like a selfish bastard, let Amara think it was her fault only to progress his plan. Guilt-ridden and torn between the necessity of treason and his love for his sister.

“Get out,” Amara said quietly after she calmed herself.

“Amar–,” Ammar started.

“GET OUT!” She screamed, shoving him away.

Ammar looked at Amara for a second before walking to the door and opening it. He paused and looked back at her, but she did not meet his gaze.

“I vow to atone for my sins. Please know I will sacrifice anything to save you…” He said quietly, walking out of the room and letting the door shut lightly behind him.  

…because your ruin is my responsibility.

---------------

Amara sat in her room, not pained by the destruction of her status, but by the realization that her royal entitlement was a simple delusion. She truly believed that nothing like this could ever happen to her, that if she begged her father, she would be free of this whole mess. That was all the delusion of a simple-minded girl.

That very same day, Solandrian servants she had never seen before rushed into her room. Forcing her to bathe and dress, thankfully in her own clothing. She was then quietly dragged away into an empty carriage adorned in gold and fine silks, and she’d embark on the six-day journey to the Solandrian Empire. No servants were allowed to accompany her, not that any were still alive.

Not one of her relatives saw her off, not Ammar, not Samira, and not Rafiq. She was left to suffer her humiliation alone. The further she got from The Sunken Kiln, the more life felt like it drained from her body. She was the empty shell of the princess she once was. Treated poorly by her family, the Solandrian escorts, and–

Amara peeked out of the carriage window curtain. She could see them riding through the huge stone walls of the Solandria Empire. She could hear the citizens cheering for Lucius’s return and also some booing. Telling the savage foreigner to return home. Amara let out a sharp gasp as a piece of rotten fruit flew through the window and smashed against the carriage wall. She quickly ducked down, breathing heavily, her eyes clenched shut.

– and she was also treated poorly by the Solandrian citizens.