Arria, daughter of Valedor's supreme general, hides her identity to marry merchant Lucius and dance in sacred rites. To make his mistress Cleo the Sacred Maiden, Lucius has Arria's legs broken and bribes an Asterian-speaking doctor to botch the surgery. She understands every word and blows a bone whistle to summon her father. Healed, she dances at the holy plaza, wins five scepters, and exposes Cleo's sabotage. As the Rex heiress, she takes revenge. Lucius goes bankrupt, and dragged away by loan sharks. Cleo, who joins a witch and frames Arria, is burned in the holy fire trial. In the end, Aldric reveals her mother once saved him and proposes. Arria becomes Valedor's empress.
