The Barbarian's Bride

During a seven-year war against barbarian forces, Knight Captain Serafina de Lavillant of Illodren Kingdom is defeated in a duel by the brutish giant Barbarian King Veor, who claims her as a spoil of war. Fearing she has failed the people of Illodren, she resigns herself to torture and death. She is surprised when Veor's servant, Cersei, washes and dresses her “to Veor's liking”. Due to his monstrous appearance Serafina supposes she will be sacrificed in some barbarian ritual, but the confused Veor reveals he fell in love with her during their duel, so due to his family tradition of marrying strong female warriors, he intends Serafina to be his wife, much to her horror. That night Serafina dreams of seven years previously during a time of severe famine. Serafina was named Knight Commander by her brother Margrave Sidius. Shortly after she prevented three starving men attacking a merchant and gave them her own jewellery to afford to feed their families, becoming determined to conquer the barbarians for Illodren's future prosperity. However, Sidius scolded her, since she was only made Commander to attract a superior husband, not to actually go to war. Awakening from this unpleasant dream, Serafina discovers Veor sleeping next to her, totally, scandalously naked.

With her chastity in question Serafina asks to die, but Veor insists holding death preferable to embarrassment is nonsense. Cersei explains Serafina was accidentally overdosed on the barbarian's sleeping drugs and fainted, so Veor looked after her all night. During breakfast, Serafina is given a quarter of meat which is bigger than she expected, upsetting her since meat is scarce in Illodren, even for royalty. Veor reveals the animal in question is plentiful, shocking Serafina the animal is a dragon, which are only legends in Illodren. Veor reveal his lands have forests, rivers and plentiful wildlife, depressing Serafina that Illodren is a wasteland in comparison. She is outraged by the practice of mixed outdoor bathing, but eventually agrees to wash while Veor goes to a different stream because of the fuss she was making. Realizing the area is filled with monsters, Serafina runs away naked and encounters a young, handsome barbarian. The man is amused, revealing his own mother was from the West and also ran away when she first bathed outdoors. Serafina guesses his mother must have been part of the 16th Expedition 20 years ago. The man gives her his coat, exciting her that there is at least one civilized barbarian. Cersei reveals the man is just Veor without his beard. Serafina is so embarrassed she slaps him, but this only makes him want to marry her more, even though she still rejects him. Several days later, Serafina is actually disappointed when Veor's beard grows back.

Veor takes Serafina and Cersei to a village where he will have a meeting with the Elders. Several of his men are eager to spar with Serafina, whom they call Crystal Helmet. She is surprised that none of them hold a grudge even though she had killed several of them and they instead complement her beauty and strength. As Veor heads off to take care of some errands, Serafina and Cersei stay in home of two women and their children. Serafina is curious since she is sure both women are not married, and they explain they moved in together after both of their husbands were killed in the war. Serafina is suddenly overcome with guilt for possibly being responsible for their husbands' deaths and insists that they take their revenge on her. However, the women hold no grudge, pointing out due to their tribe's dangerous lifestyle, death in some form is expected. Suddenly, dragons attack the village. Serafina fights one with a pair of tongs, stabbing it in the eye and luring it away from the others, impressing Cersei. Veor and the men slay the other dragons. The tongs break and Serafina resigns herself to die, but Veor arrives in time to kill the dragon. As he thanks her for saving Cersei and the others, she starts crying uncontrollably, so he carries her in his arms.

Veor introduces Serafina to Dwarf Elders Vas, Guas and Balhath who gift her a mithril sword, along with Elf Lord Karka, Dryad Nimhala and Fairy Chief Vyufumec. He explains along with the Barbarians they make up the Five Great Tribes. Serafina is depressed Illodren's constant invasions are treated as an amusing pastime by the Barbarians and not a real war. Veor explains the tribes only come together to fight Fiends, monsters more dangerous than dragons. Veor introduces her to Nyleia, one of Serafina's former knights who vanished after being defeated by Veor's cousin Vidal, and ended up happily marrying him. Serafina is shocked to learn Veor is only 18 years old while she is 26. She refuses to marry Veor, and Cersei is shocked when Veor apologizes to Serafina. Nyleia explains knights insist on either fighting to the death or until incapacitated, whereas Veor won by destroying her sword. From Serafina's point of view Veor has not defeated her yet, so it is her duty to continue to resist him. Serafina finds she is pleased Nyleia found happiness. Later, Serafina admits her shame at thinking of Barbarians as savages, when they are kind, honourable people. She also admits that while her duty is to save Illodren, marriage to Veor no longer sounds so bad. Then she becomes embarrassed and hits him again.

Priestess Malcius leads knights into Barbarian territory intending to rescue Serafina. Serafina starts to become restless and bored so Veor invites her to spar with his warriors. After defeating all the warriors, she duels Veor again, but the duel is a draw when both their training swords shatter. Vyufumec is impressed by their willpower, which only humans are capable of wielding due to their short lifespans. Word reaches Veor that a dragon injured by humans is nearby. After euthanising the injured dragon, they discover the injury was caused by magic. Serafina suspects it must be a priest from the Commoneras Order, though they are not known to use offensive spells. Vyufumec reveals the uncontrolled use of magic could attract a Fiend. They find Malcius, who was the priestess assigned to Serafina's unit, using magic indiscriminately against dragons. When Serafina tries to make her stand down, Malcius is convinced she has been corrupted by the barbarians and attacks. As the power of the land has increased her magic power, Malcius is fanatically convinced her mission is blessed by God, but Veor's willpower leaves him unharmed. Malcius uses even more powerful magic that starts to twist the laws of nature, which summons a Fiend as a mass of tentacles and eyes that captures her.

With his Thundering Voice, Veor blasts the Fiend open and Serafina stabs the core, destroying it. Malcius awakens in Veor's home unable to believe Serafina plans to stay with barbarians. She declares the legendary Saint Princess Wysteresia would be ashamed of Serafina, had she not been killed by barbarians 20 years ago. Veor finds this hilarious as Wysteresia is actually his mother. He fetches Wysteresia, who was like Serafina's big sister, and who immediately gropes her breasts and pushes for Serafina and Veor to marry. Serafina shockingly remembers Wysteresia was far from saintly and was considered wild even before becoming a barbarian's wife. Malcius is stunned when Wysteresia deems the Commoneras Church a cult of liars, despite being one of their saints. The barbarians celebrate the defeat of the Fiend with a feast. Malcius starts to regret her actions, which got her men killed by the Fiend. Cersei tells Malcius that she was once an Illdoren citizen before defecting. Wysteresia tells a shocked Serafina the necklace Veor gave her is actually an engagement necklace. She explains due to taking so many wives and husbands from captured Illdoren soldiers that almost all living barbarians are half-Illdoren. Serafina starts to wonder if it is alright to be happy when she still has her duty to her homeland. Veor announces the next night the Five Tribes will enact the Great Cleansing, one of the secrets of the barbarian lands.

Serafina has a dream of an immense dragon choosing her. Veor helps Malcius realise she only has 8 years' of memories after surviving the Fiend. Malcius starts another fight with Cersei, with Serafina unsure if they are becoming friends or not. Cersei admits to Serafina she is an Illdoren. Serafina and Cersei decide to bathe, causing Malcius to realise due to searching for Serafina she has not washed in weeks. The clans head to where they defeated the Fiend and find the land transformed into dust. Veor explains Malcius magic drained the elements will, causing them to forget their natural state and become dust. Malcius feels guilt for her actions. Karka Roth explains Malcius' Book of Scripture is badly written Rijutsu text that drains will to produce heat and light. Fortunately, the cleansing reminds the elements of their natural state, returning the dust to healthy earth in which the clan's plant new trees, ensuring the forest remains healthy for future generations. Karka Roth reveals the land itself created the Fiend to drain Malcius' memory, balancing out her draining their will. As Serafina defeated the Fiend quickly, Malcius was extremely lucky to retain her personality and some memories. Cersei informs Malcius that the name Malcius means she was raised at the Malcius Abbey Orphanage, a truly wretched place, so in a sense she is lucky to have forgotten how she became an orphan and what happened to her at the orphanage.

Serafina and Wysteresia spar until Wysteresia wins by blinding Serafina with dirt. When Serafina complains, she is lectured that holding on to knightly codes of conduct will hold her back, making her remember a time when Wysteresia disguised herself as a peasant and let herself get kidnapped by bandits so she could find their base and beat them up. Wysteresia teaches her that her engagement necklace, which seemed to be solid, can be removed by willing it. She cleans it, but cannot put it back on. Wysteresia claims she has to sneak up on Veor, dump water on him, then cover his eyes and whisper seductively in his ear to put it back on. Serafina believes her, and Wysteresia tells Cersei she wants their relationship to progress so she can have grandchildren. Serafina tries several times, but cannot sneak up on him and runs away. Veor confides to Cersei that he feels guilty for putting the necklace on Serafina while she was unconscious and not explaining what it meant. Serafina gets Malcius to wear her clothes and lure Veor into an ambush. It works and she does the steps she was told, but still cannot put the necklace on. Veor lectures his mother on her prank and explains a chant is needed to apply the necklace. He recites it, which sounds like wedding vows, and puts the necklace on Serafina, making her very happy. Malcius cries because it seems they will never go home now.