shazzarra
17,957 1,245 43
Between love and obligation, whichever shall she choose?...Eleanora Finley's story begins in 1705, adversity weaving its intricate threads with a cruel hand. Her father's tragic demise in flames left her adrift, ensnared by a mother whose iron grip offered no solace, no love.Yet fate, in its capricious dance, unveiled a revelation that no one could have ever expected. The unassuming red-haired girl from down the street was none other than the daughter of the Queen's estranged brother.In what could have been a Cinderella rags-to-riches story, Eleanora, now known as the Queen's niece, was ushered into the resplendent halls of Aethiel Palace, where brilliance shimmered in blinding splendor. Amidst this grandeur, she encountered Crown Prince Julian de Lavilliers, a figure of regal charm yet not the beacon to kindle her heart as the Queen had envisioned.Instead, her soul stirred for another - a man from the northern realms, his gaze icy and penetrating. His heart, encased in stone, hands forged by the harshness of battle. A man who had never cried, who had never loved. (STANDALONE)…