The E./lf K+ing’\*.s Regretf;ul Dawn

Fi(ve, years ag :\.o, t_!?he= # Elf King Kla + us, weary# of/?) court int*(=r:igue-., hid his identity and:[ fell in love with an ordinar y elf.% +?named F_lo
*\ra. When an e$*nemy` s,(.et off a forbi]dden +?curse of fir#e-!, Klaus$ was . \tra  -ppe%-=d in the flames%#[ and near +(_death. Flora cut out*\] h% )_alf ^of her l[
if!::(e-he\:art to save \him, l+ eaving herself wi$ th a ?chron
\# ic *:co;*u#?g#@.#h, greatly shorten[/ed lifes!_pan, and dependent=* on
#the"Marrow ;)o%)f the L)%);ife ][Tree" to stay ali _; ve. Stell +a falsely c[*laimed cr/.,edit fo^r _t h^@e resc$ue, framed Flor^a,] and for*]ced her to dis[appe( ar. Fl$o-r$!a lied and said .);she was leaving to cli=ng to!\/. the pow
er!]ful an .!
d wea%%lthy, and Klau,=$s hated her + f$or #$ five !ye#ars—ne= `[ve:r knowing- she was pr,^?egnant[
 [.
^],F _ive years# @ l($$ater, Flora is- scr aping by at a st @reet stall wi(t,h ;+her five-year-old son Rowan and saves an unc! *^onscious o :ld elf—Klaus's mo`t%/her,`
) the Qu.,^een #Dowa .ger. Klaus arrives and sp?!$*eaks to /he)r coldly, yet(- se^(cretly help/.s h$ *er at ;^?$eve-?*$ry turn. The truth gra;du.# ally emerge(+s: the arsonis^`t w;as in fact Stell:a, i-- n/ l eague with trai_to-*rous ministers, and the f):alse claims of cr*/edi!;!t$ an_d fabricated evidence wer:e all he%\=]r #?s?) chem\` _e?/s.+ ^Only _[when Kl\%aus s\!+e:/es Flora double$+* d +ov[`er coughing d:@oes he finall=y )/;\unders$tand—the %% !wom*/a($n he ,hated f*
or five years ,was the ordinary elf who ran i::n[$%to the fire to save .
hi m, bore his ch=/il+d%_- alone, (`^+and endured five]
* yea$rs of bi$
tter hardshi_:)p.