Ironling

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>A lady heir in a world of lords...</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Aislinn Darrow was never meant to be her father's heir but that was before her selfish brother condemned himself. Now she must give up her old life to take his place. She should be presiding in her father's council chamber and serving the people of the Darrowlands-yet time and again she finds herself straying to the castle smithy to visit the handsome new blacksmith manning the forge.</span></p><p><br></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>A lady can never claim a monster...</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Hakon has known all his life his place is in the background. At least at his forge he can be of use and demonstrate his skills. The life of a halfling is one of halves and pieces never quite to belong. When he hears of a place that welcomes halflings he determines to build a new life for himself in the Darrowlands. It is a bittersweet fate to find everything he could ever want there in a woman he can never have. He knows his green sooty hands don't deserve to touch her but Hakon cannot resist tempting Lady Aislinn back to him nor indulging in the fantasy of claiming her as his own.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But in a world of lords and politics a lady such as Aislinn could never truly take a halfling like him to mate and wed-especially when her position as a woman lord and usurper leave her and her people vulnerable. When grasping lords threaten the Darrowlands prepared to take Aislinn's hand and land through marriage or force she must choose-the halfling who loves her or the people who need her.</span></p>