From Banished General to Northern Emperor

Edmund Alban, Camelot's greatest warrior, is tasked by the dying king to guard Princess Isabella and marry her. He returns victorious from war one week before the wedding and finds Isabella with Leon, an exiled knight. Isabella promotes Leon to captain of the Royal Guard and strips Edmund of his military authority. Her verdict: "Without me you are nothing." Edmund leaves Camelot before the wedding day, leaving behind a letter with troop mobilization orders and maps of every checkpoint's secret passage.

The enemy breaches the royal city. Leon, already working with the enemy, stays beside Isabella, hoping to hand Edmund's mobilization orders and secret passage map to his king. Gareth, Edmund's aide-de-camp, arrives, is wounded, and sends Isabella toward the secret passage. She finds the letter Edmund left behind.

Gareth returns with reinforcements and quells the chaos, but the royal city is damaged and the throne weakened. The people riot, demanding Edmund's return. Isabella promises to find him within one week and pardons his leaving without leave.

The treasury is empty, border soldiers are unpaid, refugees break through checkpoints, and the southern nobles refuse to pay taxes without Edmund's gold seal. She discovers a manual Edmund left behind, written for every crisis, recording how he took the blame for her mistakes. She admits she was wrong.

The enemy prepares to march again. Camelot's defenses are empty, and Isabella has no commander.

Three years later, Edmund is emperor of the north and set to marry Elena. Isabella begs for forgiveness in vain. Edmund retakes Camelot and weds Elena. Isabella dies alone after decades of waiting in the snow.