Chapter Text
Once upon a time in a land far far away there lived a wealthy inventor of great intelligence and influence. He was a widower, having lost his wife to a robber after his gold, and though many years had passed his grief for her consumed him. His wealth did not matter, nor did his influence, for what were they without his love by his side? Slowly the rot of revenge crept into his spirit. It shriveled as hate stewed inside him. In spite of his intelligence, others just as clever took advantage of the widower’s grief and turned his resources for their own dark purposes: revolution. When the bloodshed was over, the inventor was sent to prison with all the rest, leaving his only daughter behind.
This daughter, Asami, having been young when her mother was killed, harbored none of her father’s hatred. She’d inherited his intelligence though, and was of a witty, pleasant disposition that had turned the head of many a village admirer just as much as her beauty. Asami, however, had no time for courtship now. Her father’s actions had drained his bank accounts and blackened their name to the point she was worried she’d lose his business entirely. Even her new inventions didn’t sell as long as her father’s name came with them. As time passed Asami would stay up late into the night counting her coins under the full moon so as not to waste the candles. Each month the pile got smaller and smaller. Finally, she had nothing left but ten pieces of silver. That wouldn’t even cover her taxes.
She thought of marriage after that. Asami wasn’t vain, but she knew she was beautiful. Her long dark hair, slim figure, and a head for management would make at least a few suitors look past her name. Yet alone as she was, her heart yearned for love; the kind from the storybooks her mother had read to her as a child. A handsome prince, brave and clever, who’d slayed dragons and tricked trolls and swung his sword to and fro with lean muscled arms and a rakish grin. One day riding by he’d see her at her window and fall madly in love. He’d rush up the stairs two at a time, sweep her into his arms and… Asami sighed. She knew it was silly. No prince was coming for her. But as she brushed out her dark hair at night and thought of her sad pile of silver she always told herself one more day. One more day to dream of her prince, and then she’d offer herself to the highest bidder.
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