One day completely turned the life of Princess Halla of Ishrem upside down. Sixteen years ago, the princess saved the life of an eight-year-old barbarian boy, but lost everything she had: her kingdom was destroyed. Now she, a forgotten old maid, is doomed to live out her days alone in silence and prayer within the walls of an ancient temple. The last of the royal family, Halla lives in the hope that memories of her are consigned to oblivion, for the long memory of enemies promises only certain death. But someone has not forgotten the disgraced princess. Matior is no longer the same barbarian boy as Halla remembered him. Now he is an adult warrior of twenty-four years old, the fierce king of the Cyclops. There is mass unrest in Ishrem, but his advisers already have a proposal on how to calm the raging people. Killing the last surviving member of the royal family, what could be easier? There are no rivals for the right to the throne, and there are no problems. However, Matior has another idea. All these long sixteen years he kept love for Halla in his heart, and now the time has come to declare her his wife. Princess Ishrema does not yet know that the wedding customs of the barbarians are very different from anything she has ever known...