Her father kidnapped her from the human realm to be a disposable substitute at the Dragon King's bride banquet. He is cursed, scarred, and rumored to have days to live. She was sent to die in her pure-blood sister's place — until the Dragon King heard her spirit instead of her blood.
Tove is taken straight from the human world. The man who abandoned her mother is standing there: that's right, I'm your father. She calls it out: you're the one who abandoned my mom. He explains the trade: every tribe must send a princess to the Dragon King's bride selection, and Ruby the pure-blood daughter is not getting wasted on a cursed king. Tove sees it: compensation? you mean sending me off to die? They tell her Simon is cursed by the former king, scarred, and has only days to live. She refuses: I'm not a thing for you to trade for your life. Then she is laced into a corset, told to say she is the adopted daughter, and walks into a palace bigger than a cathedral.
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Source: YourChannel official drama page & player — editorial coverage based on the opening arc; series details verified 27 Oct 2026.
Tove is taken straight from the human world. Where the hell am I? who's there? dad. The man who abandoned her mother is standing there: that's right, I'm your father. Tove calls it out: you're the one who abandoned my mom. And she asks the question: what kind of father kidnaps his own daughter? Oden's answer is cold: dad only has one daughter, you're only fit to be my servant.
He explains the trade. Our King Simon is searching for his true love at the banquet, make the most of it. Tove sees through it: compensation? you mean sending me off to die? what's wrong with Simon? They tell her the king is cursed: Simon was cursed by the former king, he only has days to live and there's a huge scar on his face, an ugly man like that is perfect for you. The rule is brutal: every tribe must send a princess, that's the rule. Tove refuses: I'm not going to, I'm not a thing for you to trade for your life.
At the palace she is coached to lie: once you're in the palace, say you're the tribe's adopted daughter. They lace her into a corset she can barely breathe in: loosen it one notch, I need to breathe, I heard Simon likes tiny waists, now it fits. She walks into a world bigger than anything she knew: this place is bigger than a cathedral, the orc sent someone who's never seen the world, she doesn't even have horns. And when a courtier grabs her she pushes back: is this how you greet people, by putting your hands on them? The banquet is about to begin.
Brown wavy hair, pale skin, no horns, a beige trench coat over the human world. Tove grew up in the human realm with her mother, never knowing her orc father until he walked in and kidnapped her. She has no tribe, no horns, and no intention of being traded.
I'm not a thing for you to trade for your life.
Dark hair, horns, black scaled armor with gold filigree. Cursed by the former king, hidden behind monstrous rumors and a huge scar on his face, Simon is expected to choose a bride he may not survive long enough to keep. He is at the banquet to find someone who can stand the curse.
Blonde, horns, dark red court gown. Ruby is the pure-blood daughter Oden actually loves, with her own warrior boyfriend. The tribe would never send her to a cursed king, so they sent Tove instead. She is the daughter Tove was supposed to be.
Editorial picks from the opening arc — the kidnapping, sent to die, the pure-blood daughter, and the corset and banquet.
Tove wakes up beside the man who abandoned her mother. You're the one who abandoned my mom. He answers: that's right, I'm your father. She asks the question: what kind of father kidnaps his own daughter? His reply: dad only has one daughter, you're only fit to be my servant.
He explains she is a substitute at the Dragon King's banquet. Tove sees it: compensation? you mean sending me off to die? They tell her Simon is cursed, scarred, and has only days to live. The rule: every tribe must send a princess. Tove refuses: I'm not a thing for you to trade for your life.
The tribe makes the trade explicit: Ruby is a pure blood orc, she's not getting wasted on this. Ruby's own warrior is the strongest in the tribe: anyone who touches Ruby answers to me. Tove is the spare they are sending instead.
They coach her to say she is the tribe's adopted daughter, then lace her so tight she cannot breathe: loosen it one notch, I need to breathe. She walks into the palace: this place is bigger than a cathedral. When a courtier grabs her she pushes back: is this how you greet people, by putting your hands on them?
Frames from the opening arc — swipe to browse.
Our editors' notes on the opening arc — personal picks, not audience feedback.
She is not a grateful substitute. She tells her father to his face that she is not a thing to be traded, and she walks into the palace ready to push back on anyone who grabs her.
He is written off as ugly and dying — scarred, cursed, rumored to have days left. The romance grows from him hearing her spirit rather than her bloodline, not from the throne.
The tribe would never waste a pure-blood daughter on a cursed king, so they sent the half-orc spare. The whole conflict starts from who they value enough to keep.
Best for viewers who like substitute-bride fantasy with a cursed, scarred hero and a lead who refuses the trade; if you need a courtly prince, this one starts with a kidnapping. Compared with most dragon-king romances, the king is chosen for her spirit rather than her blood — that inversion is both its strength and its limit.