Wed to his enemy's daughter, King Karloi of Croisen begrudgingly accepts a marriage filled with resentment. His wife, Evonne Deluah, embodies his past failures and ongoing feud with her father, Duke Deluah. Despite his distant affection for his first love, Karloi seeks to undermine the Duke at every turn, even taking a forbidden concubine to challenge Evonne's authority. Unknown to Karloi, Evonne conceals her true identity as Rue, a former peasant and victim of the Duke's machinations, silenced by a curse. Trapped by her past and her mother's captivity, Evonne yearns to reveal her origins to Karloi. As their fates intertwine, Karloi unknowingly forges a bond with Evonne, while she dreams of a peaceful life away from the throne's turmoil.