WHEN COMES THE DAWN | a wip reintroduction
genre: new adult fantasy court intrigue
pov: 3rd person dual pov
stage: re-planning/drafting
started: 9.3.2023
projected word count: ~90k
Book 1 of 2
FENICE VI AETIER, a portent of ill omens and the estranged daughter of the Vasilier, ignites a dangerous succession game between her and her half-siblings, where losing means death and winning means an empire.
The end of the Hes-Aei war brings with it a chance to prove her worth to her father. The challenge is simple: bring him the head of the deposed king of Hesperia, and Fenice will be granted an Ascension, marking her as a legitimate contender for the throne. But finding the defeated king in his own lands would prove to be harder than Fenice imagined— especially when the remnants of her father’s last war starts rearing its head.
A system decreed by the first emperor of Aetier that whoever among his children is the most skillful shall inherit his crown. But time has warped the rules of inheritance dramatically. The only way to survive is to win, and the only way to win is to be the last one standing.
FENICE VI AETIER ◇ the contender | The worst-kept secret of the imperial family, and now an unknown factor in the politics of the Aetier court. The King's Game is her chance to stake her place in history. What she seeks is glory eternal, and she will do whatever it takes to get it.
NIKEPHOROS DEOMINOS ◇ the serpent | The prince of a conquered kingdom, now nothing more than a war prize. He muffles his anger with practiced smiles, playing the game of deception even as it tears him apart at the seams. He will lose either way, all that matters is deciding what he can bear losing.
CHARLES VI AETIER ◇ the favorite | The Vasilier's son with the world at the palm of his hand. The lonely prince with a gentle heart and a willingness to turn a blind eye to the cracks in his perfect family.
SOLA EIDOS ◇ the hound | A man of of unknown origin and a shadowed past, his real name buried beneath the soil of his homeland. He is an information broker, a spy, an assassin-- if you pay the right price. The one thing that can never be bought is his loyalty, a worthy master is hard to find.
SARTORE VITAE ◇ the enigma | An eccentric noble from Leohnthal who can charm his way to a seat at every table. Great with words and even better at half-truths, he is a man that sheds faces as easily as a snake sheds its skin.
Find more WCTD content with the series tag #series.wctd and keep an eye out for monthly progress updates with #wctd-monthly -- the first post coming soon!
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