A fox in the snow

Prologue

It was the summer of 1600 in the kingdom of Valoria. Looking through the long glass panes of the majestic palace chambers, King Dominic oversaw the men toiling in the scorching heat. The season yielded the best coconuts, and as everyone already knew, it was an important commodity for Valoria. Important is an understatement, for more than half the revenue of the kingdom was through coconuts.

Every day at dawn, men would be perched atop coconut trees throwing down tender coconuts. Valorians use most parts of the revered fruit in various ways- coconut milk, oil, coir, water, shells, and various other innovative uses kept a secret within the kingdom, to increase its trade opportunities.

Valoria was originally part of its neighbouring kingdom Cordonia until 1467 when it was split apart due to political strain and conflicting ideals. Since then, it never witnessed a war. King Dominic's ancestors made sure that the kingdom remained stable and under an able and powerful leadership.

King Dominic ruled Valoria for twenty-seven years. He was a wise and just ruler who ushered in a reign of justice and prosperity.

The king's only daughter Lilith was a curious young girl. Unlike most girls her age, she was never interested in learning embroidery, dance, pianoforte, and the like. She was a raw spirit, yet to explore her potential. She had a witty, cheerful persona, which didn't change even as she grew up.

"Well, its time you start dressing prim and proper, like a real princess," said her mother, Queen Catherine.

Lilith never really understood her mother. She always spoke in an authoritative tone and was always stern. She didn't show any trace of love or affection, even in the direst of situations.

She was closer to her father. They would spend all day playing chess, reading, and discussing archery, horse riding, and poetry. As she grew older, she would accompany her father to meetings with foreign officials.

"Good to have some experience with foreign powers and their boring talk. You never know when they absentmindedly spill the beans on something advantageous to Valoria," King Dominic winked at her.

It certainly wasn't fun for Lilith to meet and greet these foreign leaders, but if there's anything she got out of it, she made true friends and her future partners in crime.

Ethan and Melissa were the children of King Henry of Genovia. Ethan was three years older to Melissa and the most mischievous of the gang. Melissa was the complete opposite. She was quite decent and well-spoken, though Dylan and Heather found her company quite boring. Lilith always depended on her for useful advice and practical solutions.

Heather was a beautiful young princess, daughter of King Daniel of Richtorlein. She was quite mature for her age but was extremely outspoken. She often fell into trouble for sticking her nose into everything and giving her raw, honest opinions, which, needless to say, didn't go down well with most of her past friends and acquaintances.

Lilith's first true best friend, however, remained Dylan. He was a practical-minded, straightforward, no-nonsense type of guy. From the very beginning, he was a shy kid and would not let a soul into his feelings. Dylan and Lilith have this unspoken bond that was cherished by both of them. Lilith would always confide in him and they had been through thick and thin, the best of friends.

The last of our gang is our protagonist, Lilith. She was an inquisitive child. She loved reading history, especially that of wars and conquests. She was enthralled by the fearless Celtic warrior Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, a tribe in eastern Britain, who led a revolt against the Romans. The Celts burned London and killed thousands of Romans. But her army was defeated in AD 61 and Boudicca killed herself by drinking poison. Sometimes, Lilith would sneak outdoors and when her mother found out about her wild adventures, Lilith would often bring up her role model. "How am I supposed to be a braveheart like Boudicca if I'm cooped up all day in the palace?" to which the Queen would not reply and walk away, rolling her eyes.