Love and Apollo

\"Can you fall in love with someone before you meet them? Valona, theeighteen year old daughter of the deposed Prince of Piracus believesshe can. Beautiful, spiritual and aching for adventure Valona isconvinced that the perfect man exists because she has seen him in herdreams, all she has to do is find him. Valona is excited when she isasked by her wealthy relation the Duke of Inchcombe to become Lady inWaiting to his sister Lady Rose. Together they will travel to theBalkans, where Lady Rose is to make a politically astute marriage atthe request of Queen Victoria. Having lived in impoverished seclusionall her life Valona believes that her dreams of travel are finallycoming true. However, after helping star crossed lovers Lady Rose andthe Marquis of Dorsham find true happiness it seems that it isValona?s dreams of romance that will be shattered. With no royal bride to offer the elderly King, it seems the only way to save Larissa from the threat of the encroaching Russian army is for Valona to take herplace. Bravely putting aside her own feelings, and deciding that shemust forget about true love, Valona selflessly agrees to marry theKing of Larissa .Terrified at the idea of her impending nuptials andan arranged marriage with a much older man, Valona begs to visit theGreek island of Delos before she meets her husband to be. Here sheoffers a heartfelt prayer to the God Apollo to bring her a man she can love forever, and dreams of the man whose face haunts her. Will herprayers be answered? Only the gods know as Valona moves towards herdestiny.