In the grand castle where golden chandeliers bathe the marbled halls in warm light, the emperor, Alderic sat behind his vast oak desk, quill in hand, shoulders slightly hunched over documents that bore the wight of an empire. His eyes scanned decree after decree, the fine lettering meticulous and sharp. Yet, despite the gravity of his duties, his attention often wandered, not to the affairs of state, but to the gentle voice of the young girl lounging on the velvet settee nearby.
Lily, the girl who had recently been declared of imperial blood, sat cross-legged like a carefree kitten, nibbling on a delicate assortment of fruit-filled pastries arranged neatly on a silver tray beside her. Her white as snow hair shimmered under the sunbeams that filtered through the stained-glass windows, and her smile radiated with genuine happiness. She was glowing with the joy of newfound belonging, her tone light and musical as she spoke.
