Nasrin-Nush’s heroine is a princess who has seen too many women humiliated in marriage. To protect herself, she declares that any man who wishes to marry her must answer three riddles. If he fails, he dies. Suitors come from many kingdoms, drawn by beauty and pride, and one by one they perish. The princess feels justified: in her mind, men do not value women’s minds, so she will punish them with her intellect. At last a stranger arrives. Unlike the others, he studies her rather than her jewels. He listens to her words, watches her eyes, and recognises that the riddles are really about fear, honour and trust. He answers correctly, not by trickery, but by understanding what she truly fears. When he succeeds, he refuses to claim her as a reward taken in battle. Instead, he says: “I solved your riddles, but you are free. Choose me only if you wish to.” For the first time, she experiences a man who treats her mind and will as real. Her cruelty dissolves, and she chooses him herself. Nasrin-Nush’s tale warns Bahram that brute courage is not enough. Sometimes the real victory is to lay down the sword and give the other person freedom.

• Red dome, burning torches – passion, danger, pride • Three written riddles – trials of mind and heart

In this piece I let the red dominate almost aggressively, to echo how defensive pride can feel beautiful and powerful at first. The princess’s posture is high and guarded, yet there are small fractures in the architecture around her, showing the hidden cost of constant testing and punishment. This beauty speaks to the part of us that would rather scare people away than risk being hurt. The story shifts only when someone sees beyond the mask. I wanted that tension between armour and tenderness to live in the painting.