The Imperial forces tried in vain to clear the bandits from the forest on the southern borders of Vardera. This was the only route connecting the Empire with the Sultanate of Oraige. Caravans carrying silk, incense, and spices were the bandits' favorite prey. The patrols searched the forest in vain, as the bandits disappeared without a trace. Their secret was simple: their hideout was underground, with an entrance hidden in the hollow of an old oak tree.

The gang, referred to in the reports as "the vile scum," was more noble than they were given credit for. They only robbed those whose power was tied to the throne, and they secretly gave half of their loot to the poor. The group was led by a girl named Alex, which was unheard of in a world where men held power. Her authority was well-deserved: she was intelligent, cunning, and wielded a blade that no one could resist.

After receiving information that Crown Prince Lucan's carriage was passing through the forest under the protection of an elite guard, Alex and her right-hand man, Marcus, set up an ambush. The guards were neutralized with sleepy darts, and the prince, who fought back with a sword, was stunned with a blow from the hilt.

Lucan's consciousness returned in a dark room, where he was sitting tied up on a wooden chair. The door creaked, and Alex came in with two men. "How dare you raise your hand against the future emperor?! You are filthy bandits, scum, unworthy of anything but a dungeon!" he shouted.

Alex listened to him with a smile, then abruptly kicked the leg of the chair. The chair trembled, balancing on two legs, and she, holding Lucan, said:

"For a future emperor, you have too dirty mouth. You, the aristocrats, like to be respected by women?"

"With all my 'respect', I do not see a lady here!" He contemptuously examined her shirt and trousers. "Even my maids wear elegant dresses."