“Your father,” the Queen continued, her voice tinged with a hint of old resentment, “was meant to be the one. He came here, as a young man, to learn, to prepare for his destiny. He spent years among us. He was to marry my mother, the Princess of this kingdom, my elder sister. The union would have been glorious. The prophecy would have been fulfilled. Our lands would have flourished.”She paused, a deep sigh escaping her lips. “But your father… he was a man of the West. He did not understand the sacredness of our traditions. He did not value the ancient ways. He fell in love with another. A woman from his own world. Your mother.”Max felt a surge of anger. “So he chose love? What’s wrong with that? You can’t force someone to marry against their will!”“Love?” the Queen scoffed, a rare flash of emotion in her eyes. “Love is a fleeting emotion, young man. Duty, honor, destiny – these are the foundations of a kingdom. Your father chose to ‘renegade’ on the sacred pact. He broke his promis