The story opens with a description of the kingdom of Antarcia, which is ruled by a barugon who has fallen in love with a young woman. The woman is named Tanderine, and she is the mother of a young child. The child is Riku, who is the son of the first lady. The first lady, called kaarla, is a powerful woman who will ensure that Riku is the rightful heir to the throne. She will kill the parents, the servants, and the guards in order to make sure that her son is the heir. The mother of the child, however, is not so sure. She wants to know where the child is, or what has happened to him. She also wants to kill the woman who is responsible for the child's death. She begs the king to spare her life until Riku becomes old enough to rule.