chocolateoats

I mean in her defence normal people aren't built with mistrust in them, it's a learned behaviour, she was frequently mistreated but never betrayed (no case she knows of), she is still learning to play this game while clearly suffering of both severe PTSD and some sort of Stockholm syndrome and I think she isn't even 20 (not sure about this one)

You’re the only one in this CS with common sense

FRR I FOUND MY PEOPLE

It's easy to think of her actions under a negative light especially for younger readers like teens, but I feel like going through this phase is a good pipeline to learn about abuse and how to protect ourselves and others from it.
The only thing I hate about this kid of stories is the victim going back to the abuser which for me is a product of media grooming and internalised misogynie

True. Not everyone can easily fight back, particularly when the proprietor wields such immense power and can take lives at will.

She was very young when the prince manipulated her, and with a mentally unstable mother, she lacked the foundation to develop a healthy social mindset.

Although she is just beginning to learn these things now, she has no trustworthy ally to confide in and is navigating it all on her own.

Your point is a thousand percent valid a lot of her current reactions and choices stems from the lack of proper socialisation as a child mixed with the lack of allies and the early and the continued manipulation ( I don't know if the word grooming can be used, I used it first time and I don't know if I was correct, he is older than her but is enough to consider it grooming?)