The kidnapping of male children to become child soldiers in foreign nations is a heavy theme throughout the story. When foreign agents march into a prince's palace, one of their soldiers gives a predatory look to one of the women there. Later, that same soldier is seen caressing young boys to intimidate them while one of his associates informs the prince that they will be taking 1,000 of the boys as child soldiers. When the prince is forced to hand over his son to the foreign empire, his wife is upset. She is pulled away by one of the prince's men, to which she fights him and says "Don't touch me." The prince goes to meet with a vampire, and as an act of intimidation, the vampire licks his neck in a gratuitous manner. One of the opposing soldiers corners a queen with unclear intent, but she is rescued before anything happens.