Saving Grace

The Most Ancient and Honourable Kingdom of Syllonia is perhaps one of the oldest and most respected nations in Europe. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean with borders of France and Spain, it's royal house, the DeCapio's, have ruled Syllonia peacefully for hundreds of years. With descendents from the first DeCapio king, King Marus, in all the royal families in Europe and further across the world, it considered the most powerful and one of the wealthiest remaining royal families in the world.

The capital city, Yashon, is home to 6 million people, a further 20 million living in other parts of Syllonia. Unlike many nations, Syllonia has an absolute monarchy, the current King Alexandre DeCapio governing over every and all decisions in his country. The people of Syllonia have always adored the DeCapio family - it was them who led the defence against attacks from the neighbouring kingdoms of France and Spain 400 years ago and on many campaigns since, and the proud nation was never taken.

Syllonia is notable for producing many of history's finest architects, painters, artists and musicians - it's children always having been gifted in creative arts as well as war. The economy of Syllonia has steadily thrived for the past 10 years after facing a sudden drop in economic growth, the King bringing the country back from the brink of failure through calm reductions and careful spending. Since then, every family has had a hot meal on their table and a car on their driveway, electricity to light their home and wood to fill their fires. Under the reign of King Alexandre, the country has hardly known loss.

Except for last Spring.

King Alexandre and his wife, Queen Fion, only ever had one child, a son named Phillippe. Like his father, Prince Phillippe was clever, handsome, athletic and adored by the people. It came to no surprise when he married the beautiful English woman Lady Cassandra Fortworthy, and together they had two beautiful children, first, the Prince Alexandre DeCapio, and secondly, the beloved Princess Grace. The children were raised away from the public eye and the scrutiny of the media, only knowing they were different from the titles of their names and the promise that one day, their father and then Alexandre would be King.

But that all changed.

A group had been forming in Syllonia for quite some time - the Black Dragon. Led by the divested General Thorne, they'd spent years biding their time and collecting funds from enemies of the DeCapio family, until the time was finally right, and they struck.

The Prince, his wife, and their teenage son Alexandre had been visiting a new orphanage just outside of Yashon. In bed with an stomach illness, Princess Grace had been left at home in the care of her governess. Lady Cassandra had been eager to return home to her sick daughter, but understanding her role as the future Queen Consort, she gladly attended with her husband that day.

In the massacre, not only were the royal family killed, but several of the children at the orphanage. Suddenly, Grace was her grandfather's sole heir, and the old man's health had always been poor. The girl barely had time to mourn for her parent's and brother before she was ordered to safety by her grandfather, for fear of another attack. The entire future of Syllonia rested on one girl's 16 year old shoulders.

And lets just say that Grace isn't the most conventional of princesses...