Amara lived a simple life in a small, poor town. Her days were spent doing chores, running errands, and taking care of her younger brother, Jude, who was only twelve years old. Their mother had died years ago, and their father was a cruel man who cared more about money than his children. Amara was the last of her sisters still at home. The others had been married off to wealthy men as soon as they turned eighteen. Amara knew her turn was coming, especially with her birthday only a few days away. She had no hope of escaping her father’s plans.

That afternoon, Amara was sent to the market to buy ingredients for dinner. The streets were busy, with people shouting and moving in every direction. She carefully picked out some vegetables and bread with the few coins her father had given her.

As she walked back, she heard sudden screaming. Women were calling out, and men were rushing to the sides of the street. Amara looked up, confused. She saw a grand carriage passing by, followed by a group of men on horses. The sound of hooves filled the air as the carriage rolled past.

“It’s him! It’s the Duke of Ravenshire!” someone shouted.

Amara watched as people bowed their heads or moved aside to make way. She couldn’t see the Duke’s face, but the golden flag on the carriage told her it was him. The Duke’s men, dressed in fine uniforms, rode ahead and behind the carriage.

Some ladies nearby were talking loudly. “They say the Duke is so handsome. Have you seen his eyes? Like the sky after a storm!”

“Of course! And he’s so young for a man with so much power.”

Amara shook her head and kept walking. She had seen the Duke once before, from a distance, but she didn’t care about him. He was a rich man, far removed from her life. People could say what they wanted about him, but to her, he was just another powerful figure who had nothing to do with her world. She had enough problems of her own to think about.

She carried her basket of groceries back to her small home, where Jude was sitting outside playing with some sticks. He smiled when he saw her. Amara tried to smile back, but her heart felt heavy. She knew that soon she might not be able to take care of him anymore.

That night, after dinner, she overheard her father talking to someone. The voices were low, but she could hear enough to understand what was happening. Her father was planning to marry her off to a wealthy merchant—an old man known for being cruel to his wives. Amara froze, her chest tightening as she realized her worst fear was coming true. She couldn’t let this happen.

She went to bed that night, unable to sleep, thinking about what she could do. Running away wasn’t an option; she had nowhere to go. But she couldn’t stay and let her father sell her like he had her sisters. She needed to find a way to take control of her life before it was too late.

Amara tossed and turned in her small bed. Her mind raced with fear and worry, but no answers came. She thought about running away, but where would she go? She had no money, no friends who could help, and nowhere safe to hide. Every time she closed her eyes, her thoughts came back to the same terrible truth—her father was going to sell her.

Eventually, her tired body gave in, and she fell asleep. But her rest was anything but peaceful. She dreamed of being married to the old merchant, Gregor. His face was cold and cruel as he shouted at her, his hand raised as if to strike. She cried, begging him to stop, but he laughed and told her she was worthless. Suddenly, her mother’s voice broke through the dream. It was soft but clear.

“Amara, do whatever you must to save yourself. Do not let this happen to you.”

Amara woke with a start, sitting up quickly. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath. Her room was dark and quiet, but the fear from the dream stayed with her. She ran her hands over her face, trying to calm herself, but her mother’s words kept repeating in her mind.

“Do whatever you must...”

But what could she do? She didn’t know. Her mind was blank, and the hopelessness returned. She lay back down, staring at the ceiling, wide awake now and feeling more lost than ever.