The Story of the Hated Mule

Tara was the unwanted child of Queen Adelaide, born out of wedlock and abandoned as an infant. She grew up under the care of distant, impoverished relatives who showed her little kindness. When she came of age, they cast her off once more, sending her to the infamous sorcerer Judas in the western lands. A stranger to her, Judas was known for his dark reputation, yet Tara had no choice but to seek refuge under his roof. Her life had been marked by rejection, and now she faced an uncertain future in the shadow of a man whose name inspired fear. Though she knew nothing of magic or his twisted ways, survival demanded she adapt. The whispers of her royal blood meant nothing in a world that had already discarded her. Her only inheritance was hardship, and her sole companion was the loneliness of an outcast. Yet within her burned a quiet defiance, a spark that refused to be extinguished. The road ahead was treacherous, but Tara was no stranger to adversity.