Being the ruler’s sister means being a thing—an exchange coin—in the affairs of the state. And how else could it be, if her brother loses a war, and his lineage commands him to forget herself and, choosing a husband, follow duty rather than the heart? Blood demands calm and fulfillment of the contract’s terms with the enemy, without wanting to explain what to do when her thoughts are occupied not by the groom, but by a soldier—an unreliable, unprofitable, yet desirable one. But from oneself you can’t run—family honor will have to make concessions to a foolish heart.