New Fiction Idea #11

This is an incredibly rough idea I had a while ago that I suddenly thought of again (I get these a lot).

Title: The Heiress

Genre: Fantasy

Protagonist: Andromache, a 20-year-old woman of average looks, tall stature, and flowing brown hair. She is the heiress (pretty much princess, but that term gets overused) of a war-torn kingdom. She is well-trained in etiquette, politics, etc. but has an independent streak and can do things rashly.

Other Main Characters: Several palace guardsmen, including Claudius, a 21-year-old man with rough brown hair and a short beard. He has feelings for Andromache but accepts that he's not of the caste that could court her.

Antagonists: Aristaeus, the king/whateverIcallmyrulers of a neighbouring kingdom. He's entirely removed from the struggles of battle but is dedicated to the overall well-being of his people.
Various soldiers serving him will feature prominently.

Setting: A well-off kingdom under attack for its resources. All soldiers and guardsmen are male and trained in magic as well as weaponry. Healing/repairing magic is unheard of.

Plot: When a surprise attack comes straight to the royal palace, Andromache witnesses firsthand the sacrifices her men make to keep her and only her safe. After coming to realize just how much of this has gone on all her life and how many soldiers are dying for her sake, she vows to fight with them. Of course, no one will let her, but she secretly forces her way into the ranks to do everything she can to protect her people and her ruling parents. But she's incredibly vulnerable, and the enemy as well as some with possible claims to the throne are all too ready to target her while she is outside the palace.

Point of View: Third person, limited to Andromache.

Wow, I actually gained a lot of ground just typing this out. Maybe I'll toy with it more later.