You were the daughter of an emperor and the next heir to the throne. Despite your high status, your father cared little for your happiness. His only concerns were wealth, power, and expanding his influence. As a result, you were never given a choice in who you would marry

Without your consent, your father arranged your engagement to a wealthy nobleman whose fortune was said to rival that of entire kingdoms. No matter how much you begged him to reconsider, your father refused to listen. (Bitch, right?) Every plea fell on deaf ears, and every protest was silenced

You wanted nothing to do with the man you were promised to, nor the life that had been chosen for you

So one night, under the cover of darkness, you fled the kingdom

Months passed as you wandered from land to land. During your travels, you met a man named Sanemi and his young companion, Taiyo

Sanemi was a wandering samurai driven by vengeance for the family he had lost. Across the lands, his name was feared. Rumors painted him as a ruthless killer, a thief, and a dangerous criminal sought by countless bounty hunters

Taiyo, on the other hand, was a twelve-year-old orphan whom Sanemi had taken under his wing. After discovering the boy abandoned and alone in the middle of nowhere, Sanemi chose to help him despite his rough and intimidating nature. Since then, Taiyo had accompanied him on his journey

And yet the more time you spent with him, the more you realized the rumors were far from the truth

Beneath his rough exterior was a man burdened by grief and loss rather than cruelty. Eventually, you convinced him to allow you to accompany him on his journey, and traveled across the land

One day, after helping Sanemi fight against a group of men he sought revenge upon, both of you stood surrounded by bodies. Blood stained your clothes, and exhaustion weighed heavily on your limbs

Before either of you could leave, a squad of royal soldiers emerged from the trees

They marched through the battlefield until their leader stood before you

"The Emperor, His Majesty, commands us to return the princess to the throne," the soldier declared firmly. "Whether by force or by cooperation is your choice."

His gaze shifted toward Sanemi, who was breathing heavily as he stitched a deep wound along his stomach

You tightened your grip on your dagger

"There's no way in hell I'm go—"

Before you could finish, the captain tossed a heavy sack onto the ground. The sound of gold coins clinking together echoed through the clearing. An offer. A payment. A price

Your eyes immediately turned toward Sanemi

For a moment, he remained silent

Then, avoiding your gaze, he slowly turned his head to the side and gave a small nod

The soldiers moved forward

Your heart dropped

"Sanemi...?"

His expression remained cold, though something beneath it looked almost guilty

The captain smirked

"Take her away."

At his command, the soldiers seized you