All my life, I had been searching for something. I knew I was different, regardless of what others believed, I knew there was more out there then what I had, even though I was told I had nothing to complain about.
My father told me that I had been born into a rich Russian family. When a war broke out it Russia, I was given to my parent's friends; the King and Queen of Uzbekistan. My brother, who would soon be taking over my father's throne, was friendly with the Prince of Moscow. On his most recent visit to see Prince Yuriy, he chose to bring me along. It was not until some time later that he revealed to me his plans for me to marry the Prince. To this day, I am still appalled at his decision. The Prince was thirty-four years old and previously married to a women he was rumored to have taken to the gallows. I was only seventeen. The man I was to marry was only three years younger then my own father!
The minute he told me, I began to object. I knew that was a mistake even before I opened my mouth. My brother hit me for the first time in my life. The shock alone kept my mouth closed for three entire days. On the fourth day, the only words I uttered were 'I do'.
My life went steadily downhill after that. I hardly ever was permitted to go back to my own castle. In fact, the only family I saw during the first month of my marriage was my brother. I was disappointed that my father never visited, but I refused to show my emotions.
It was soon made my job to listen to the tedious demands of peasants and occasionally make a public appearance with the man I was married to. I refused to call him my husband. We both silently agreed that the only time we would spend together would be during those public occasions and when he would require me to produce an offspring for him. Which, I hoped, would not be anytime soon.
On the occasions where we did spend time together, he made it a practice of hitting me. Only, unlike my brother, he hit with much more power. Often times I would spend my nights in the infirmary of the castle.
Over time, I became stronger. Regardless of the fact that I was female, I could withstand pain more then any of the other men in the castle. On one occasion, a young guard that I had startled in the dead of the night accidentally stabbed me with the head of his spear. I didn't flinch as the blood oozed down my skin onto the floor. I simple grabbed the weapon, threw it as his feet and returned to my bedchamber. The man was hung the next morning, but even death had not wiped the look of astonishment off his face.
Shortly after, the Prince declared war with Tver. I didn't know it then, but that war would change my life. Never again would I ever be the same.