lived, in order to be sacrificed there. The White Witch appeared for the first time in Fantaghirò's life to save her, explaining to the King the importance of the child. By the second film onwards, the heroine is accepted as a female knight who will do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones, even if that means sacrificing her own life. She is deeply in love with Romualdo, previously the enemy prince, their kingdoms now finally at peace thanks to Fantaghirò, who briefly vows to put down her sword forever. After she wins back Romualdo from her evil rival the Black Witch in the second film, they are married in the third film, adopting the orphaned Princess Esmeralda as their daughter. In the third film, Fantaghirò learns the secrets of dark magic from the Black Witch to rescue Romualdo from the evil wizard Tarabas, another of her own suitors. In the fifth film, Fantaghirò becomes romantically engaged with Ares, a pirate from another world. She often rides on a white-maned palomino horse. The series' writer Gianni Romoli said, "What fascinates me about Fantaghirò is that it is a female but also a male character, without any ambiguity. She is a friend, but also a woman partner, the one who both solves your problems and causes them." Fantaghirò has long red-brown hair which she twice cuts with a sword into a boy-cut in the first and second film, but in the third film onwards she only has a boy-cut. She tries to befriend all creatures and people she meets, unless they try to harm those she cares about. In the first chapter, Fantaghirò wears a blue and orange tunic, the sky blue and gold being the colors of the heirs to the throne in Italian tradition, before disguising herself as a man in order to fight. She is very forgiving and looks past physical appearances. The role launched Martines' career. Romualdo Romualdo, portrayed by Kim Rossi Stuart, is a prince who becomes Fantaghirò's beloved and later her husband. After the death of his father, Romualdo seeks to end the centuries-long war his ancestors have waged against Fantaghirò's people by challenging her father to single combat. He falls in love with Fantaghirò in the first film and becomes obsessed with finding her, even as he is initially confused by her androgynous traits. He is shocked when he meets her properly for