The King and Queen spoke for a few moments more with Viana and Cooper. Their voices were soft, their smiles gentle.
The air in the room remained warm, but a subtle change signaled their departure. King Clive eventually rose, nodding briefly to Viana.
"Kingdom matters await," he said, his voice calm. Queen Isabella followed, her hand resting briefly on Viana's shoulder.
They gave Cooper one last reassuring look before leaving the dining room. Viana and the boy were left alone, with only the faint scent of lunch and the quiet hum of the palace around them.
Viana turned to Cooper, her smile genuine. "Come," she said. "Let me show you your room."
She led him from the dining room. Cooper followed, his small hand still holding hers.
They walked through corridors larger than anything he had imagined. Ancestral portraits on the walls seemed to watch him.
