Julien always thought he knew his duty...until an arranged marriage upends his future. Prince Julien of Escarland was the kingdom's spare. His duty is to quietly stand in the background at his brother's side, protecting him and his heirs. When it becomes clear that one more marriage is needed to secure the three-way alliance between the kingdoms of Kostaria, Tarenhiel, and Escarland, Julien agrees to an arranged marriage with a troll. He doesn't know their language and he might not be strong enough to fit into their battle-focused culture, but other than that, how bad could it be? As King Rharreth's shield sister, Vriska is duty-bound to protect him and his queen. But she never expected her duty to include a marriage with a human. An empire-hungry kingdom is lurking, seeking any weakness in the alliance. Will this final bond keep the alliance from crumbling? Can Julien and Vriska find love in a union based on duty?