Ayla, leader of the Deepwood, gravely wounded and captured Prince Darian. After conceiving a child using his bloodline, she cast him out. With child, she used her cunning strategy and martial prowess to quell internal strife, unite the tribes, and establish the Emerald Alliance. Years later, Darian, having ascended to the throne, still persistently sought her hand in marriage. However, Ayla, now master of her own vast domain, chose to focus on her imperial ambitions, governing her realm alone.