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Both hailed from a village known for it's vital lumber production for the kingdom, far from the coast and split in half by a river. One on side, a large lumber mill run by a wealthy, old-money family, and on the other, houses, a market, and a small schoolhouse.

The Lover was from a wealthy family, but wished to live a simple life. She was a lover of many things; gardening, flowers, literature, and the Engineer.

The Engineer was a poor man; a labourer from a line of lumberjacks and woodsmiths who worked at the mill, but had a knack for tinkering and was able to successfully create two intelligent automatons in his lifetime. He had also managed to capture the heart of The Lover, which he considered his greatest achievement.

The King of the land heard word of The Engineer's machines and extended an offer: Bring me your most impressive machine, and you will become the court's engineer.
Such an opportunity could not be passed up. The Engineer planned on marrying his Lover, and working for the King himself would mean a better life for them both.

Using what he had learned from two previous unsuccessful automatons, The Engineer began work on a third. This robot shared his likeness, his memories, and his primary goal; provide for The Lover, protect her, and love her as she deserves. This copper automaton he named Neohumanoid-3 Working Test, or N-3WT. He then began work on a doll; a steam automaton on a much smaller scale with a face of porcelain, in the likeness of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; his Lover. This doll would provide companionship to him for the long journey to the castle, and serve as a proof of concept for the King. The Engineer planned on creating a similar automaton for the King, in the image of the late Queen.

Though the doll was unfinished, The Engineer was running out of time. He bid farewell to his Lover before setting off on the road, spending his time atop the horse and cart finishing his latest creation. Before he left, The Lover had named it Lazuli.

He was intercepted on the way. Bandits, a group of pillagers, murdered The Engineer and took everything from his cart, including the porcelain doll. It was displayed in a woodland mansion for generations to come.

As for The Lover, she did not take to N-3WT as her Engineer had hoped. She felt it to be uncanny, a false mockery of her beloved, and was quick to reject and neglect it, never dressing or naming it, only fuelling it to do chores like woodchopping or yard-work. Months passed with no word from The Engineer or the castle. The Lover locked the steam automaton away, never to come back for it.