Lucian, a prince imprisoned for ten years, feigns madness to survive Empress Helena while secretly gathering proof of her usurpation, planning to die with her. Clara, a serf-born maid, volunteers to serve the “mad prince” for thirty days in exchange for freedom papers—and discovers he is not mad at all. From staged deception to escape, rebellion, poison, and war, they become each other’s reason to live. Lucian learns to rule under parliamentary limits, overthrows Helena, becomes king, and wins back Clara, who left out of self-doubt, making her his queen.
