Chapter 57

Lena’s POV

“Has there been any movement from the Ducaines?”

My voice came out sharper than I intended, cutting cleanly through the quiet of my study. Jayden and my father stood before me, both steady, both waiting.

“No, Your Majesty,” Jayden answered. “Ever since the last hunt, they haven’t made any bold moves.”

I crossed my arms, my fingers resting beneath my chin as I turned slightly toward the window. The light outside was too calm for my liking.

“That’s suspicious,” I murmured. “The Valeens are not the type to stay quiet for long.”

The memory lingered—Duke Edric fighting alongside us during the rebellion, standing against King Arthur as if our goals were aligned. But even then, it had never truly felt like an alliance.

Just convenience.

He had turned the moment it suited him. He always did.

Unpredictable. Opportunistic. Dangerous.

My jaw tightened.

If there was one thing I knew for certain, it was this—Duke Edric would not hesitate to drive a blade into my back if it meant gaining even an inch of advantage.

“Very well,” I said, straightening. “Jayden, you will relocate to the palace for the duration of the Sovereign Assembly. It will be a Fourteen days event.”

Jayden didn’t hesitate. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You will oversee its defense in my absence. I don’t want a single gap in security. If anyone so much as breathes near those gates with the wrong intention, I want you to know.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I turned to my father next. “Father, you’ll accompany me to the central city. Bring your men.”

His gaze met mine, steady, knowing.

“As long as things proceed as planned, we’ll return within a week,” I added, though the words felt more like a reassurance to myself than a certainty.

I leaned forward, bracing my hands against the desk, exhaling slowly.

Why does this feel wrong?

There was no safer place than the palace.

No stronger walls. No tighter security.

And yet—

My chest tightened.

Ten years ago, those same walls had been breached.

I closed my eyes briefly, pushing the thought away.

Different circumstances.

Different time.

Still…

“It won’t take long,” I said, lifting my head toward Jayden. “But don’t let your guard down. Not even for a moment.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied without hesitation.

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

“I’m worried about Miu.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

I exhaled, pressing my fingers against my temple, trying to ease the tension building there. Neither of them responded, but they didn’t need to.

“I’ll take my leave,” I said finally, straightening. “I need to inform Miu about this.”

I stepped away from the desk, the sound of my boots echoing softly against the polished floor as I moved toward the door.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, the air felt different—cooler, quieter.

And yet, my thoughts were louder than ever.

The halls were quiet. Too quiet.

Each step I took echoed faintly against the marble floors, the sound following me like a shadow I couldn’t shake. There were no voices, no movement—nothing to distract me.

Nothing to drown out my thoughts.

I had been keeping myself busy. Meetings, reports, preparations for the Assembly—anything that could fill the hours and keep my mind occupied.

But now, with nothing left to cling to—

It all came rushing back.

Miu.

The way she had been these past few days… subtle, almost unnoticeable to anyone else. But not to me. There was something off. A distance in her eyes. A hesitation in her words.

Uneasy.

I exhaled slowly, my steps faltering for just a second before I forced myself forward.

I let out a quiet, bitter breath.

Somewhere along the way, I had grown too certain of myself. Too comfortable.

After our marriage… I started believing that things had settled. That whatever stood between us before had somehow eased.

But that was my mistake.

Because the truth was—

This was never something she chose.

My chest tightened as the realization settled heavily in me.

From the very beginning, this marriage had been forced upon her. Circumstances had cornered her into it, left her with no real choice but to accept.

And I—

I had stood at the center of that.

I slowed to a stop, my hand brushing lightly against the cold stone wall beside me.

To Miu…

This palace was never meant to be her home again.

This life was never part of her plans.

And this marriage—

I swallowed hard.

It might have only ever been a means to survive.

The thought lodged itself deep in my chest, sharp and unrelenting.

Because if that was true—

Then what did that make everything I am feeling?

“Oof—”

My thoughts snapped apart as someone ran straight into me just as I turned the corner.

“Lena.”

“Miu.”

We both spoke at the same time, stepping back almost instinctively. For a brief moment, I just stared at her, my mind still catching up to the sudden closeness.

Then I noticed it—her hand, resting lightly over her stomach.

My chest tightened. “Are you hurt? I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

“No,” she cut in gently, offering a small, slightly awkward smile. “I’m fine. You just startled me. That’s all.”

I hesitated, searching her face for any sign of discomfort. She seemed fine… but something in me still refused to fully relax.

“…Alright,” I muttered, nodding once, then again, as if that would make the situation less awkward.

Because it was.

Painfully so.

The silence that followed stretched longer than it should have, neither of us moving, both seemingly waiting for the other to speak first. I could feel it—that unfamiliar tension, like we had suddenly forgotten how to stand around each other.

So I broke it.

“Where were you heading?”

“Oh.” Her expression brightened almost instantly, like the question pulled her out of whatever hesitation she had been feeling. “To the dining hall. It’s the staff’s meal time. When you’re not around, I like to eat with them. The knights too.”

There it was—that warmth in her voice, that easy sincerity. I hadn’t realized how much I missed seeing her like this until now.

“And you?” she asked.

“I was on my way to you.”

The words left me too quickly, too naturally, before I could think about how they would sound.

And just like that, the silence returned—heavier this time.

“Then, shall we—”

“Do you want—”

We both stopped, speaking over each other again. Our eyes met, and for a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then she smiled.

Soft. Unforced. Real.

I felt something in my chest loosen at the sight of it.

“Do you want to go there together?” she asked.

I held her gaze for a second longer than I probably should have, then nodded. “Sure.”

I stepped closer and offered my arm, trying to appear casual despite the small flicker of hesitation in my chest. For a split second, I wondered if she would refuse.

She didn’t.

Her hand slipped into the crook of my arm as if it belonged there, like it had always been that simple.

We began walking side by side, our steps naturally falling into rhythm.

And somehow, everything felt different.

The halls didn’t seem as cold. The silence wasn’t suffocating anymore—it was quiet in a way that felt… easy. Familiar.

I caught the faint scent of lavender as she moved beside me, and without meaning to, I found myself breathing a little deeper.

Maybe it was just the moment.

Or maybe—

It was her.

—

Third Person’s POV

The moment Lena and Miu stepped into the dining hall, the quiet rhythm of clinking utensils and low conversation faltered.

It was subtle at first—the shift of attention, the way a few heads turned toward the doorway at the familiar sound of approaching footsteps. Then it spread, like a ripple across still water.

“Miss Miu!”

A few voices called out, hands lifting in greeting, warmth lighting their faces.

But the moment they noticed who stood beside her—

Everything stilled.

Chairs scraped softly against the floor as people rose almost in unison, heads bowing.

“Your Majesty.”

Silence followed, thick and immediate.

Lena paused just inside the entrance, already feeling the shift—the formality that always seemed to rise the moment her presence was acknowledged.

Then, beside her, a soft chuckle broke through.

She turned.

Miu was looking at her with a small, cheeky smile, eyes glinting with quiet amusement.

“You did that,” Miu murmured under her breath. “So it’s yours to fix.”

Lena exhaled lightly, already turning back to the room.

“At ease,” she said, her voice calm but carrying easily across the hall. “Please, continue your meals. Pretend I’m not here.”

There was hesitation at first. A glance here, another there. But slowly, one by one, they obeyed—returning to their seats, picking up their utensils again.

Still, the noise didn’t fully return.

The hall remained quieter than before, conversation subdued, movements more careful.

Lena felt it, as she always did.

Then, gently, Miu led her toward a space at one of the long tables.

The knights seated nearby immediately shifted, making room without needing to be asked.

Lena stepped forward, pulling out a chair for Miu.

“Thank you,” Miu said softly as she took her seat.

Lena sat beside her, posture composed.

It didn’t take long before Daliah approached, placing plates before them with practiced ease.

Miu fell into easy conversation with the knights around them, her voice light, natural—like she belonged here far more than Lena ever could in moments like this.

Lena, meanwhile, reached for her utensils and began cutting the steak on her plate into smaller pieces, her movements precise, almost absent-minded.

When she finished, she simply reached over and switched their plates.

Miu paused for only a second.

Then, “Thank you,” she murmured again, already picking up her fork as if this, too, was something familiar—something expected.

It was such a small thing.

Quiet.

Unspoken.

And yet—

It didn’t go unnoticed.

Around them, conversations faltered again. Glances lingered a little too long. The subtle awareness of their presence sharpened into something more curious… more knowing.

Dinner passed like that—Miu speaking easily with those around her, Lena listening more than she spoke, the space between them filled with small, effortless gestures that said more than words ever could.

When Lena finally set her utensils down, she reached for her napkin and wiped her mouth.

“Are you done?” she asked, turning slightly toward Miu.

“Yes,” Miu replied with a small smile, mirroring the motion.

Lena nodded once. “Do you have any plans after this? I need to speak with you.”

Miu didn’t hesitate. “Of course. Let’s head back to our chambers.”

She stood, and Lena followed, stepping beside her before offering her arm once more.

This time, there was no pause.

Miu took it immediately, as if it were second nature.

“Have a good rest, everyone,” Miu called lightly as they began to walk away.

A chorus of quiet acknowledgments followed them as they exited the hall.

And the moment the doors closed behind them—

The tension broke.

A collective exhale swept through the room.

“Did you all see that?” Paolo muttered, leaning slightly toward the others.

“She must really love her…” Piolo added, his voice low.

A few exchanged glances, small smiles forming.

“Well,” Paolo said with a shrug, “Miss Miu seems happy too. That’s what matters, right?”

There was a brief pause.

Then, one by one, heads nodded.

A quiet hum of agreement spread across the table as the hall slowly returned to life, the earlier tension dissolving into something lighter.

Warmer.

And just a little more certain.