Prince Ethan is captured, enslaved, and tortured by an enemy warlord. He reaches the breaking point, then ends up in the hands of the warlord's son. Rather than mistreat his new acquisition, Samet treats him kindly and begins the slow process of helping him heal. As Ethan recovers, he and Samet befriend each other enough that Samet eventually trusts Ethan with his secret. Rather than aiding his father, Samet is the one trying to stop the warlord's real plan to set himself up as tyrant over the entire land.
To save the world, the two will even brave the dangers of hell itself.
Provides Examples Of:
- Absurdly Sharp Blade : Some of Ethan's enchanted knives qualify.
- Act of True Love: Ethan and Samet's bond has them performing superhuman feats for each other
- Affably Evil : Vadin can go from brutally torturing a broken young man to nagging his son about giving him grandchildren without pausing for breath in between.
- Agony of the Feet : Not played for laughs.
- Asshole Victim : Nobody really minded when Brelith caught a face full of molten metal.
- Archnemesis Dad : Samet really doesn't want to be his father's enemy, he just wants his father to not employ a doomsday weapon and make bargains with dark powers.
- Badass Family : A tendency of royalty
- Battle Amongst the Flames : Happens a lot when Samet is around. He can freeze things or use electricity, he just happens to be at his best with fire.
- Battle Couple : Samet and Ethan eventually become one of these
- Because You Were Nice to Me : Robert eventually befriends Samet. Samet takes a sword for Robert's children and later cuts off his own hand to get to them in time for a Roaring Rampageof Rescue
- Benevolent Boss : Whether he's actually benevolent or simply knows the power of loyalty, Vadin is generous and polite to his soldiers. He's known to keep his word, though he is prone to reminding people that also holds true for threats. It's a trait he shares with his son Samet.
- Berserk Button : Do not mess with Ethan in front of Samet. Do not mess with Samet in front of Ethan.
- Bullying a Dragon : The sheer number of people stupid enough to pick a fight with Samet is a bit mindboggling.
- Combat Pragmatist : Margaret is no warrior, but she'll grab whatever is at hand and beat you over the head with it
- Comes Great Responsibility : To the point that Robert has to occasionally remind Samet that it's okay to let someone else bear some of the weight.
- Convection, Schmonvection : Averted. Unless you are Ethan, it's best not to get near Samet when he's angry.
- Court Mage : There seems to be an entire order of these.
- Cultured Badass : Samet is educated, well spoken, and polite. He's also capable of making a dragon's head explode.
- Dark Is Not Evil : Samet is a sorcerer and considered to be hellspawn. He's a good and honorable man trying to save the world. Varorgirin seems to be this as well.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: Samet doesn't like to kill
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones : Vadin really does love his son.
- Friendly Fireproof : Ethan is this to Samet's magic
- Good Is Not Soft: Samet doesn't like to kill, but if pushed he doesn't feel a lot of remorse over it.
- Kill It with Fire : Samet's go to method of combat.
- Like an Old Married Couple : Whenever Samet and Ethan start bickering
- Magic Knight : Averted. Samet is terrible at physical combat and bad enough with a sword that Ethan won't even let him have one.
- May–December Romance : Margaret is the same age as King Sikander's daughter. He's impressed enough with her actions during the rescue to let her know he'd be very interested in discussing her hand with her father.
- Noodle Incident : Sir Vincent rescuing Sarah was apparently a series of them.
- Rescue Romance: Both Samet and Ethan rescue each other multiple times. Sarah and Sir Vincent get in on the act as well
- Royals Who Actually Do Something : In addition to Samet himself, King Robert also regularly proves that Authority Equals Asskicking
- Safe, Sane, and Consensual : Samet and Ethan establish safe words very early. Ethan then gets a second, in the form of Samet's truename
- Scenery Porn : It says something about Ethan's mindset that he finds parts of hell aesthetically pleasing.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers! : Samet is very polite when he finally gets tired of the council's crap and points out that he is very capable of invoking this troop.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! : Once King Sikander learns the true situation, he demonstrates that if he has to choose To Be Lawful or Good , he's going to take good. And that Authority Equals Asskicking
- Silk Hiding Steel : Queen Tabitha is no warrior. She can make Robert and Samet both behave themselves with a single polite but firm statement
- Shipper on Deck : Ethan and Samet are both these for Sir Vincent and Sarah.
- Tranquil Fury : Samet doesn't shout, but when he gets angry the stone beneath his feet starts to melt
- Trust Password : Samet and Ethan develop several over the course of the story to help Ethan get through his PTSD. A few times Ethan uses them on Samet. Samet's truename can be considered one of these, considering the level of trust Samet had to have to share it with Ethan in the first place
- Worthy Opponent : Vadin seems to view King Robert as one. At least he seems pleased when King Robert brings his armies out again.
