00:00Corinth, the northern kingdom of Oakhaven, was a place where the weak died, and the strong froze.
00:08Princess Ellaria of the Sun Empire shivered beneath her golden silk carriage blankets.
00:15She had been sold to the north, a political bride given to the infamous Duke Caelan,
00:21known across the realms as the Wolf of the North,
00:25as her carriage passed through the massive iron gates of Blackwood Keep.
00:32Ellaria pulled her crimson velvet cloak tighter.
00:36She wasn't just hiding from the bitter cold.
00:39She was hiding her true nature.
00:41In the Sun Empire, magic was punishable by death.
00:46And beneath Ellaria's skin, a dangerous, forbidden fire magic simmered, waiting to break free.
00:53She, hidden inside the deep pockets of a cloak, was her only friend.
00:59Ash, a tiny, rare, obsidian dragonette, no larger than a cat, who kept her warm with his internal embers.
01:08The carriage stopped.
01:10Ellaria stepped out into the biting wind, her golden hair whipping around her face.
01:16Standing at the top of the frozen stone steps was Duke Caelan.
01:23He was not the savage barbarian, the southern stories claimed.
01:28He was tall, powerfully built, with raven black hair and piercing grey eyes that looked like a winter storm.
01:36He wore heavy, dark steel armour, draped in thick, black wolf furs.
01:43Beside him stood a creature out of nightmares, ghost, a massive, white dire wolf that came up to the Duke's
01:52waist.
01:53The beast growled, sensing the hidden dragonette in Ellaria's coat.
01:59Caelan raised a single, leather-gloved hand, and the dire wolf fell instantly silent.
02:04Welcome to Blackwood.
02:07Princess, Caelan's voice was deep, echoing in the icy courtyard.
02:13I hope you brought more than silk, to survive the winter.
02:18Ellaria lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated.
02:23I brought my courage.
02:26My lord, I hear that is a rare commodity in the cold.
02:32Caelan's lips twitched into the ghost of a smile.
02:36We shall see.
02:38The tension in Blackwood Keep was a physical weight.
02:42Ellaria and Caelan were like two opposing elements, trapped in a stone cage.
02:48At dinner, they sat at opposite ends of a massive oak table,
02:54surrounded by Caelan's fierce northern generals who eyed the southern princess with deep suspicion.
03:03One evening, Ellaria sat by the grand hearth in the empty library,
03:08letting Ash the dragonette out of her cloak.
03:11The little creature stretched his leathery, bat-like wings,
03:16breathing a tiny puff of orange smoke.
03:19Suddenly, the library door pushed open.
03:22It was Ghost, the giant white direwolf.
03:26Ellaria froze, ready to summon her fire to protect her dragonette.
03:30But Ghost didn't attack.
03:33The massive wolf approached slowly,
03:37sniffed the little dragonette,
03:39and let out a low huff.
03:41Ash chirped,
03:43bravely climbing onto the direwolf's giant white paw,
03:46seeking the soft fur.
03:48Ghost simply lay down,
03:50letting the tiny dragon nestle against his nose.
03:53He likes the heat,
03:55a deep voice said from the shadows.
03:58Ellaria jumped.
03:59Caelan stepped into the firelight.
04:01He wasn't wearing his armour,
04:03just a loose linen shirt
04:05and dark trousers.
04:07He looked at the dragonette,
04:09then at Ellaria.
04:11In the north,
04:12dragons were myths.
04:14You harbour a magical beast, princess.
04:17If your brother,
04:19the emperor, knew,
04:21he would have you burned at the stake.
04:23Caelan said softly,
04:25stepping closer.
04:27Are you going to turn me in?
04:29My lord,
04:30Ellaria challenged,
04:32her heart pounding.
04:34Caelan looked down at her,
04:36his grey eyes softening.
04:38In the north,
04:39we do not cage wild things, Ellaria.
04:42We protect them.
04:44For the first time,
04:46Ellaria felt a strange,
04:48terrifying warmth in her chest
04:50that had nothing to do with her magic.
04:53Weeks passed,
04:54and the ice between the warlord and the princess
04:58began to thaw.
05:00Caelan took Ellaria,
05:02riding into the weeping woods,
05:04a forest of ancient white pines,
05:07to show her the rugged beauty of his homeland.
05:09They rode side by side,
05:12ghost and ash trailing behind them,
05:15the direwolf running through the snow
05:17while the dragonet glided from tree to tree.
05:20It is peaceful here,
05:22Ellaria admitted,
05:24her cheeks flushed pink from the cold.
05:26It is,
05:28Caelan replied,
05:29his eyes entirely focused on her face.
05:32But peace
05:33is fragile.
05:35As if summoned by his words,
05:38the horrific sound of snapping branches
05:40echoed through the trees.
05:43A dozen men in white cloaks
05:44dropped from the pines,
05:46armed with heavy crossbows,
05:49assassins.
05:50But they didn't bear northern crests.
05:52They wore the hidden sun sigil
05:54of Ellaria's brother,
05:56the emperor.
05:57Protect the princess!
05:59Caelan roared,
06:01drawing his massive broadsword.
06:03The fight was brutal.
06:06Caelan fought with the fury of a demon,
06:08cutting down two assassins
06:10in a single swing,
06:12while ghosts tore the throat out of another.
06:16But there were too many.
06:18A poisoned arrow grazed Caelan's shoulder,
06:21dropping him to his knees in the snow.
06:24An assassin raised his sword
06:26to deliver the killing blow to the duke.
06:30Ellaria screamed.
06:31She didn't think.
06:33She just reacted.
06:35She threw her hands forward.
06:37And a massive,
06:39roaring pillar of golden-red fire
06:41erupted from her palms.
06:43The flames engulfed the assassin,
06:46turning his armour to slag.
06:48The remaining attackers panicked,
06:50fleeing into the woods.
06:52As Ellaria stood panting,
06:54her hands glowered with residual embers.
06:57The snow melting in a massive circle around her.
07:01She fell to her knees beside Caelan,
07:04her hands shaking.
07:06I'm sorry.
07:08She sobbed,
07:09terrified of the revulsion she expected to see in his eyes.
07:12I'm a monster.
07:15Caelan reached up,
07:16his bloodied hand gently wiping a tear from her cheek.
07:20You are not a monster,
07:23Ellaria.
07:24You are a queen of fire.
07:26Caelan survived the poison,
07:28thanks to Ellaria using her magic to burn the toxin from his blood.
07:33That night,
07:34in Caelan's private chambers,
07:37the atmosphere shifted from survival
07:39to an undeniable,
07:42burning passion.
07:44Caelan sat bare-chested
07:46on the edge of the bed,
07:47his shoulder heavily bandaged.
07:51Ellaria stood before him,
07:53her hands hovering over his skin,
07:55checking the wound.
07:56The room was illuminated only by the hearth,
08:00and the faint glow still radiating from her fingertips.
08:04Your brother sent them,
08:07Caelan said,
08:08his voice a low rumble.
08:10He didn't send you here for a treaty.
08:12He sent you here to die,
08:14so he would have an excuse to invade the North.
08:17Ellaria looked down,
08:20shame filling her eyes.
08:22I am a cursed pawn.
08:24I bring nothing but war to your doorstep, Caelan.
08:27You should send me away.
08:29Caelan stood up,
08:31closing the distance between them.
08:33He gently grabbed her glowing wrists,
08:36not flinching at the heat.
08:38The day you arrived at my gates,
08:40I swore an oath to protect you,
08:43and today you saved my life.
08:47Caelan whispered fiercely,
08:48his face inches from hers.
08:51You are my wife, Ellaria.
08:54War is coming,
08:55but I swear to the old gods,
08:57I will burn the Sun Empire to ashes
08:59before I let anyone take you from me.
09:02Ellaria looked up into his stormy grey eyes.
09:06All her walls collapsing,
09:08she surged forward,
09:10pressing her lips against his.
09:12The kiss was desperate,
09:14consuming,
09:15and fiercely protective.
09:17The fire within her surged,
09:21matching the undeniable heat
09:23of the northern warlords' embrace.
09:26Three days later,
09:27the warhorns echoed through
09:29the valleys of Blackwood.
09:31The emperor's army,
09:3210,000 men clad in shining gold armour,
09:36marched upon the snowy plains.
09:39Ellaria's brother,
09:41Emperor Valerius,
09:43rode at the front,
09:45demanding the head of Duke Caelan,
09:47and the return of his kidnapped sister.
09:51Ellaria stood on the battlements
09:53of Blackwood Keep,
09:55wearing a dark leather armour,
09:57gifted to her by Caelan,
09:59lined with crimson fur.
10:01Her golden hair was braided tightly back.
10:05Ash the dragonet sat upon her shoulder,
10:08hissing at the distant army.
10:10Caelan stood beside her,
10:12his broadsword resting in his hand,
10:14looking out at the impossible odds.
10:1810,000 men,
10:20Caelan said grimly.
10:21My garrison holds only 2,000.
10:25Ellaria reached out,
10:27taking his hand.
10:28They do not know what they are facing.
10:30They expect a terrified hostage.
10:33They expect...
10:35a broken northern army.
10:37She stepped forward to the edge of the wall,
10:41looking down at the golden army
10:43that sought to destroy her new home.
10:46Today,
10:48Caelan,
10:49we give them a war they will never forget.
10:52The battle commenced with the devastating roar of siege,
10:56engines.
10:57The northern warriors fought with unmatched ferocity,
11:01holding the gates against the endless tide of golden soldiers.
11:06Ghost?
11:07The dire wolf was a white blur on the battlefield,
11:11tearing through enemy lines.
11:13While Caelan fought like a god of war,
11:17his broadsword a whirlwind of steel and blood.
11:20But the sheer numbers were overwhelming.
11:23The northern lines.
11:26The main gates began to splinter.
11:28It was time.
11:29Ellaria walked to the highest point of the fortress.
11:33She closed her eyes,
11:35tapping into...
11:36to the deepest, most forbidden well of her magic.
11:40The air around her began to distort with intense heat.
11:45Ash the dragonet took flight,
11:47releasing a piercing screech
11:50that echoed across the valley.
11:53Ellaria opened her eyes,
11:55and they glowed like liquid gold.
11:57She thrust her hands towards the sky.
12:01And a massive wave of pure, concentrated fire
12:04cascaded down from the walls,
12:06crashing into the emperor's siege lines.
12:09The snow evaporated instantly into steam.
12:12The golden soldiers screamed,
12:15breaking formation in sheer terror,
12:17as a wall of flames cut them off from the fortress.
12:22Caelan looked up at the battlements,
12:25awe striking his heart.
12:27His wife was a blazing inferno of power,
12:31an unstoppable force of nature,
12:34rallying his men with a deafening war cry.
12:37Caelan led the countercharge
12:39through the gaps in the flames,
12:40the emperor's army.
12:43The emperor's army,
12:44terrified by the magic they had been taught to hate,
12:48broke and fled.
12:51The battle was won.
12:53The aftermath of the battle
12:55left the snowy plains scarred with ash
12:58and scattered armor.
13:01Ellaria's brother,
13:02the treacherous emperor,
13:04had fled with the remnants of his broken army,
13:07abandoning his campaign.
13:10The north was safe,
13:12and they had sent a message
13:14the world would never forget.
13:16In the courtyard of Blackwood Keep,
13:18the northern soldiers,
13:21men who had once viewed Ellaria,
13:24with deep suspicion,
13:27now dropped to one knee
13:28as she walked among them.
13:30They did not fear her magic.
13:32They revered it.
13:34She was their savior.
13:36Caelan walked towards her,
13:38sheathing his bloodied sword.
13:40He didn't bow.
13:42Instead, he took her face in his hands
13:45and kissed her passionately
13:47in front of his entire army,
13:49sealing their victory.
13:51Ghost.
13:52The direwolf trotted over,
13:54sitting proudly beside them,
13:57while Ash, the dragonet,
13:59landed gently on Caelan's armoured shoulder,
14:02releasing a happy puff of smoke.
14:04You are no longer a hostage of the Sun Empire,
14:08Caelan announced,
14:10his voice echoing in the quiet,
14:12victorious courtyard.
14:13He took his heavy,
14:15ancient iron crown of the North
14:17and placed it gently upon her golden hair.
14:21Long live Ellaria,
14:23Caelan declared,
14:24his eyes filled with endless love and pride.
14:28The Queen of Embers,
14:30the Mother of the North.
14:32And as the northern warriors
14:34roared her name
14:35into the winter sky,
14:38Ellaria knew she had finally found
14:41exactly where she belonged.
