From the moment she could walk, Lienna Ward defied expectations placed upon her as the daughter of Lord Walter Ward of the prosperous Ward Island. While her older sister Elina took to the genteel pursuits expected of a noblewoman, Lienna found herself drawn to more martial interests.

Standing at an imposing 6'2" by her teenage years, the towering Lienna dwarfed all peers of her age. Her powerful frame, boorish manner and unconventional looks led many to cruelly mock her as the "Ward Beast" behind her back. However, they stayed well away from her fierce temper and incredible physical strength.

Try as he might, Lord Walter could not refine his younger daughter into a proper lady. Lienna displayed zero interest in needlework, poetry or music - her heart belonged to the sword. She would sneak away to the garrison to pester the household guards into teaching her swordsmanship. By 15, Lienna had become more skilled than most of Lord Walter's mens-at-arms.

Resigning himself to the fact that Lienna would never make a desirable marriage prospect, her pragmatic father allowed her to pursue her passion as a traveling warrior upon reaching maturity. Concealing her sex under masculine garb, the woman began entering combat tournaments across the Northern Union, distinguishing herself with her raw power and skill.

For over a decade, Lienna carved out a formidable reputation on the tournament circuit under the name "The Sentinel Knight." She garnered as much admiration as derision, for many saw her insistence on fighting as a willful subversion of the proper female role.

Everything changed when the headstrong warrior attended a celebratory tournament hosted by Duke Malcom Redshore. There, the 30-year-old Lienna first laid eyes on the Duke's youngest son, Prince Maliom. She quickly became bewitched by the raven-haired noble's chiseled features, athletic physique, and aura of effortless nobility.

In a pivotal moment, Lienna's helmet was dislodged during a bout, revealing her strikingly unconventional looks and tightly-bound chestbindings for all to see. While many in the crowd hurled taunts and jeers at the female warrior, Prince Maliom looked upon her with an expression bordering on awe and fascination.

From that fateful day, Lienna Ward lived for any opportunity to catch even a passing glimpse of the object of her affection. She suffered the torment of her hopeless love in silence, knowing a rough-hewn soul like her could never win the heart of a regal prince like Maliom Redshore.