*The Crown Prince of the North

Prince Ambrose Lysander, Crown Prince of the North, was twenty-one years of age and heir to the throne.

From childhood, he had been raised not merely as a prince, but as the man who would one day wear the crown. His tutors had instructed him in the histories of ancient kings, the laws of the realm, the art of diplomacy, the tongues of foreign courts, the customs of royalty, matters of faith, geography, and the countless affairs by which a kingdom was governed.

Yet the prince was no scholar alone.

He had trained with the sword since he was a boy and had grown into a skilled swordsman. He rode as easily as he walked, practiced with bow and blade, studied the art of war, and spent many mornings among the royal soldiers, observing their training and learning the discipline of command. His father, the King of the North, had already begun allowing him to sit in council and entrusted him with matters of the realm, preparing him for the day when the kingdom would be his to rule.

Ambrose was young, handsome, and possessed of the sort of beauty that drew attention wherever he went.

And then, against the expectations of the court, he married.

His bride was Elara Autumn, a young woman of ordinary birth from a city in the South. She was the daughter of general of northern kingdom Ambrose had chosen her as his wife.

Their marriage was still new when Elara entered the northern palace.

The ladies of the court smiled before her, bowed before her, and offered their congratulations.

But behind those smiles lived envy.

For Elara possessed what many of them had spent years dreaming of—the love and favor of the Crown Prince himself.

Ambrose was devoted to his young wife, and the sight of them together became a subject of quiet conversation throughout the palace. Some admired their union. Others whispered that a common-born girl had no right to sit beside the future king.

They been married for very little,the king and crown prince was too busy to handle their kingdom.. before They could even settle properly

Elara was poisoned

The royal physicians were summoned at once. The guards were ordered to seal the halls, and every servant who had attended upon the princess was questioned. Before long, suspicion fell upon the terrible truth:

Elara had been poisoned.

Ambrose refused to leave her side.

The physicians fought desperately to preserve her life, while the prince summoned every healer within reach. For hours, the palace remained awake beneath the shadow of fear.

At last, the poison was overcome.

But something precious had been taken from her.her memories