A hundred years ago, the world was cut in half by a terrible plague. Those that survived created new colonies, new countries, and rebuilt their lives as best they could. Under the reign of a series of noble men, France is one of the few nations to rise from the ashes, but a new king now sits on the throne. A cruel and hateful king... Aurelia Villette was born into a powerful family. A bold, defiant girl, she's a disappointment to her mother, a ray of hope to her father, and a constant companion to the Bouchard twins - heirs to the throne. Thick as thieves, they spend every waking moment together, until the day The Mad King violently rips them apart. Now nothing is certain. Not even the love she feels for the boy who must never be king.