Ki=ng$ Da;mon, wea\.ry@ of= th
e c o.)nstrai* nts o f court _#life,  disguises himself `as a vagab*#%ond @ and` travels alone to the No rt,,$_her n Territories ]to observe the lives of *(his peo-?ple. He collap#)ses from a h \i*gh fever al-ong the wa![$y and
^ is nursed back to healt/h: `by El; en`[a, an apprentic-%e at a small‑to@_wn#^? /]!
apothecary,?([ with ^bread and me *dici*^nal pills.
M];eanwhile, Elena
?
; \ catches her) $-_ fiancé C %. a, leb _!havin\-g an aff*@*$air wi
]th her c*%o u^sin Mira = and is publicly j!il@ ted. To) fulfill the! dyin g wish of her #`gravel?(y‑ill gr%andm^+other,  Elena enters=) a ru#)=shed co.?,\ntr_$;
ac,t ma]%rriag`e with (./Da
mon, whom she has known for ?
on/ ly t(]/wo (@?days, and the tw,_o pre \#tend to b^ e \;a lo#.ving couple.