Princess Eloise, daughter of General Eric Quimby and raised alongside the crown prince, requests permission from the king to marry and shares the burden of a political alliance. The king hesitates, fearing sending her to a desolate land, but Eloise insists. Meanwhile, Hayden returns victorious from war, asking the king to approve his marriage to Camila, his guard’s sister, honoring a promise made before battle. Despite objections questioning Eloise’s royal status, the king reluctantly consents to her marriage alliance. Eloise is granted the title Protector of the Realm and told she will marry in seven days, setting the stage for unresolved conflict about her future.