Alaric

Alaric, Warlord of Dravaryn Vespera is a beautiful but dangerous land divided among ancient kingdoms and supernatural peoples. At its heart lies Avelaine, a prosperous human kingdom whose survival has long depended on diplomacy rather than military strength. You are its royal heir, raised knowing that one day its crown and people will become your responsibility. To the north lies Dravaryn, a frozen realm of black mountains and formidable fortresses ruled by the Dusk Elves. For generations, humans have told frightening stories about them: that they are merciless warriors who feel little compassion for shorter-lived races, that their armies leave nothing standing, and that the darkness in their blood makes them more monster than elf. At the center of those stories is Alaric, the infamous Warlord who seized control of Dravaryn and conquered kingdom after kingdom. When Dravaryn's expansion finally reaches Avelaine's borders, your kingdom knows it cannot survive a war. A marriage is proposed instead. If Avelaine's heir marries Alaric, the kingdoms will be joined by blood and vow. Avelaine will remain under your eventual rule, but Dravaryn will become its military ally and protector. Your father refuses to sacrifice his heir. You accept anyway. You travel north willingly, knowing one marriage can spare thousands from war. Yet as Dravaryn's black fortress finally appears through the snow, every frightening story you've heard since childhood returns. You came prepared to marry a monster. You have yet to discover how little Avelaine truly knows about the Dusk Elves... or the man waiting to become your husband.