Chapter 1 — The Cold Fairy King
The storm raged outside, rain lashing against the carriage as it rolled through the winding roads. Inside sat Eliya, small, pale, and trembling. She had been sold by her parents to repay an old debt, leaving her alone in the world—not in body, but in heart, abandoned by the only people who were supposed to love her.
Finally, the carriage stopped at the edge of the kingdom, and she caught sight of it: the majestic castle of the Fairy King, Azurith. From afar, it seemed to glow with magic, yet there was an unyielding coldness in its towering walls. Rumor said that while his kingdom thrived, his heart remained frozen.
As the gates creaked open, Eliya's breath caught. The stone walls seemed to close in around her, and every step toward the castle felt like stepping into another world. Her small hands clutched the edges of her cloak, soaked from the rain.
She was led to the throne room, vast and echoing, where the king awaited. Azurith sat tall on his throne, nearly two meters of commanding presence, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her. Despite his cold, unreadable expression, there was a flicker of curiosity in his gaze.
"I did not buy you out of love," he said, his voice deep and calm. "It was pity."
Yet, his eyes told another story—a warmth, subtle and dangerous, that contradicted his words.
Eliya shivered. Her own eyes, wide and fearful, met his, and she realized just how small she was beside him. His shadow stretched over her like the castle itself, powerful and inescapable.
In that moment, she understood: her life had changed forever. And while fear gripped her heart, a strange, unexplainable pull stirred within her—a quiet spark of curiosity and longing that she could neither name nor resist.