Mornings in the palace were always filled with bustling activity, and Duskholm's palace was no exception.
The king would spend his nights with one of his women, and for Alden, that meant choosing between his wife and four concubines. The night before, he was supposed to be with his current favorite—Gwen.
It was a tradition for men of status to have women other than their wives. A few exceptions existed—men who chose to dedicate their lives to a single woman—but as a king, Alden was expected to take concubines, despite having a wife who had once relinquished her crown for him.
Ellora was the pride and beauty of Valeria, much like her sister Layla. When the proposal to marry Alden arrived, she had accepted eagerly, having admired him from afar. Back in her homeland, her father had only ever loved one woman—their mother. He had never sought others. Ellora had assumed Alden would be the same.
