Mark of Darkness

Fate in our world has a shape.

It is burned into the skin with a mark, a pattern that connects a man and a woman, making them one.

The mark is a bond of blood and power, an alliance that cannot be broken.

With it comes strength. With it comes eternity.

And with it comes unfreedom.

I have known this since I was a child.

I listened as my older brothers boasted about their marks and how their wives bowed their heads in submission.

I saw how my father arranged marriages and alliances, as if he were changing pieces on a chessboard.

And I knew that one day, it would be my turn.

I was supposed to become the wife of a magician.

A bright, handsome, and noble man, the son of the High King.

Marrying him would bring greatness to the kingdom, but for me... it would be a cage made of gold.

But no one told me that fate has a sense of humor.

On the night before the ceremony, I would run barefoot through the castle corridors, my breath catching and my body trembling.

That my fiancé would be walking behind me, with a thirst in his eyes and a strength that would break my will.

That I would crash into someone's chest and, looking up, meet a pair of crimson eyes.

The eyes of a demon.

Someone who was not supposed to touch me, even in my dreams.

And no one - not my father, not my brothers, not my fiancé - could have predicted that it would be his mark on my neck.

And that from that moment on, I would no longer be just a princess.

I will become marked by darkness.

𝑳𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒍

🔮

Meaning

: a mark is a magical sign left by a man on a woman. It connects their destinies and souls for eternity.

How it is placed:

through a bite or a touch to the neck/heart. It is accompanied by pain, but after that a symbol remains, glowing with the magic of the family.

Meaning

: the mark gives the man power over the woman (feeling her emotions, location, sometimes the ability to command). The woman also receives a part of the power of her husband.

Bonds

: it is impossible to break them without the death of one of the carriers.

Race differences:

Mages leave light marks

- golden or silver patterns, symbolizing the sanctity of the union.

Demons leave dark marks

- scarlet or black symbols, which are perceived as a curse.

Danger

: if a woman accepts a mark against her will, her soul breaks and she may lose her will.

Exception

: if a woman voluntarily opens her own hidden mark (born in all), she can accept or reject the bond.

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

👑

The Royal Family

Princess Aellina (

the main character) is the youngest daughter of the king, stubborn, freedom-loving, born under the sign of the stars. Her fate is decided without her consent, but it is she who breaks the rules.

King Arenvale

is her father, a wise but cold ruler. For the sake of the kingdom's strength and stability, he is willing to sacrifice his daughter's happiness.

The princess's older siblings are her brother and sister.

✨

Mages (almost angels)

Lianel

(the groom) is the son of the High Mage, the heir of the light family. He is handsome, powerful, but obsessed with possessing Aellina at any cost. His mark was supposed to bind their destinies.

The High Mage Elaidris

is Lianel's father and an ally of the king. He is cunning, cold, and skilled at concealing his true intentions.

🔥

Demons (a threat to the world)

Kael

(demon) - tall, with scarlet eyes and a mark that shines with darkness. Dangerous, mocking, but there is a strange honesty in his words. When he meets the princess, he breaks the rules and places his mark on her.

The Council of Demons

(possible enemies and allies of Kael, can be added later).

🌑

Other characters

Lady Miara

- the princess's lady-in-waiting, her friend, and confidante. She will witness the first changes.

The Guardian Captain

Raymond is the commander of the guard, who disappears on the fateful night, leaving the castle's passages unprotected.

The Herald

Seon is a courtier who knows ancient legends about the marks; he may become the heroine's guide.