The story begins 200 years into the past, in a world ruled not by elected governments but by ruthless autocracies. In a land once known as Germany - now called *Germania* - a young boy named Aaron dreamed not of power, but of uncharted lands and forgotten places.

Aaron came from a renowned family of bakers, famous across Germania for their decadent cakes, flaky pies, and delicate cream puffs. Their bakery's success brought them wealth, but Aaron's heart beat for adventure. One day, he traveled with his mother, Adele, to visit his maternal uncle, a compassionate doctor living on the outskirts of Germania. This uncle devoted his life to treating the poor for free, quietly resisting the cruelty of the regime.

Three days into their visit, Aaron accompanied his uncle on a house call to see a patient gravely ill. There, he met *Carla* - a girl with fierce eyes and a quiet strength. Her father lay dying, and while Aaron's uncle tended to him, the children were asked to step outside. Drawn together by their shared love for exploration, they wandered into the woods and talked for hours, bonding like old friends meeting again.

But peace was short-lived.

As they returned to Carla's home, they noticed soldiers leaving the house. Confused and curious, Carla assumed her father had received some royal recognition. But what they found inside shattered everything.

Blood pooled on the wooden floor. Both Aaron's uncle and Carla's father lay dead - murdered brutally.

Carla froze in trauma. Aaron, trembling, took her hand. "Come with me," he whispered. With nowhere else to go, Carla agreed. They fled to Aaron's uncle's home, only to find his aunt missing. Aaron scribbled a note explaining everything, saddled his uncle's horse, and rode with Carla back to his home.

By nightfall, they arrived.

"Vater! Vater!" Aaron shouted, bursting into the house.

His father, Armin, emerged. "What's with all this shouting? And who is this girl?"

"Dad, we need to talk," Aaron said. They sat around the kitchen table, and Aaron told him everything.

By the end of the conversation, Armin's face was grim. "Your uncle must've refused to pay the king's tax... or perhaps he supported the rebellion."

The oppressive king tolerated no dissent. Rebels were exiled or executed. This injustice sparked a fire in Carla - burning grief turned into the desire for vengeance.

Carla rushed outside in tears. Aaron followed and found her crying in the verandah.

"You don't know what I've been through!" she cried. "I've worked since I was seven, gathering firewood just to feed us. My mother died giving birth to me, and now... my father is gone too."

Aaron gently took her hand. "Then we fight back. We become warriors. We take down the king. And I'll be with you - always."

That night, something changed. Carla stayed with Aaron's family, and over time, the two grew inseparable. They trained, worked, and planned together. Years passed. But Aaron's mother, devastated by her brother's death, grew ill and eventually passed away. Her loss only deepened Aaron's resolve.

Six years later, at nineteen, Aaron and Carla had become skilled warriors. They joined the rebel movement, aiming to topple the autocracy and establish democracy.

During an intense winter training exercise, the duo was ordered to carry heavy logs up a snow-covered mountain. They succeeded, rested at a rebel outpost, and began their return - only to discover their worst nightmare.

Their training camp had been raided. Soldiers of the king had executed most of their comrades - including *Chevon*, a close friend who, like Carla, had suffered deeply under the regime.

Without hesitation, Aaron and Carla launched a counterattack. The soldiers never stood a chance against their fury. With no time to lose, they rushed to the rebel headquarters hidden in an abandoned village an hour away.

The slaughter of his soldiers enraged the king. In a fury, he cast aside his golden crown. Determined to crush the rebellion, he increased taxes, raised prices, and threatened every villager, demanding the culprits be handed over - or face destruction.

Aaron, hearing of this tyranny, devised a bold plan: a silent strike.

He publicly declared himself the killer of the king's soldiers. A local informer rushed to the nearby market where the king happened to be inspecting merchants. Upon hearing the news, the king stormed to the location with his guards.

Aaron stood calmly.

"Are you the one?" the king bellowed.

"I am," Aaron answered.

The king, blinded by rage, charged to strike him down. But the trap had been set. Hidden around the square were Aaron's comrades, each armed with *thunder spears* - explosive arrows designed for swift devastation.

Aaron gave the signal.

In a flash of fire and thunder, the king and his guards were obliterated.

The villagers, long oppressed, rejoiced. At last, the tyrant was dead. In a symbolic gesture of unity and hope, they declared Aaron and Carla their new king and queen - not rulers of power, but guardians of the people's will.

The age of autocracy ended that day, and the dawn of democracy began.

Years passed under the rule of Aaron and Carla, now crowned as king and queen. The land flourished with new laws, free speech, and fair trade. Democracy began to take root. But peace, as always, was fragile.

Beyond Germania's borders, rival kingdoms - once allies of the fallen king - saw the rise of democracy as a threat to their own power. They began to stir unrest, funding mercenaries and inciting conflict along the borders.

Aaron, once a boy with dreams of exploration, had now become a hardened ruler shaped by war and loss. Believing peace could never be achieved without dominance, he chose the path of retribution. He raised armies, launched swift offensives against hostile territories, and swore to exterminate all enemies threatening their fragile republic.

Carla, however, had not lost the heart that once led her through the woods with Aaron. She saw the cost of endless war - children orphaned, fields burned, and cities drowning in fear. She believed diplomacy and unity were the true path to lasting peace. She traveled to distant lands, forged alliances, and opened dialogues where Aaron saw only betrayal.

Their paths diverged.

Aaron became increasingly isolated, suspicious of Carla's methods. To him, her diplomacy seemed like weakness. To her, his campaigns began to mirror the tyranny they had once fought to overthrow.

Then came the moment Carla feared.

Aaron ordered a final assault - a massive invasion meant to "end all threats," regardless of civilian cost. Carla begged him to stop. "This isn't justice anymore, Aaron," she pleaded. "This is vengeance."

But he had gone too far.

Heartbroken, Carla knew what had to be done. In a quiet forest, far from the eyes of the court, she met him - one last time.

Tears fell as she drew her blade.

"I loved you," she whispered. "I still do."

And with that, she ended the war... by ending the one she loved most.

Years later, the kingdom remained at peace. But Carla was never the same. She visited Aaron's grave often, sitting in silence for hours, tears soaking the soil. She never married. Never loved again.

She was a queen to her people - but to herself, always just a girl in the woods with a boy who dreamed.