The intrusion that had taken place at the palace several weeks earlier had caused considerable upheaval, exposing weaknesses in its security and resulting in the deaths of several guards on duty. Those responsible had been identified and punished, imprisoned or executed.

  If the worst had been avoided, it was solely thanks to the measures the Emperor had taken in advance. He had been right to anticipate it: his wife had indeed been targeted in an attempt to weaken him, but she had fortunately been rescued before it was too late.

  The Captain had done everything in his power to protect her and enable her to escape, but they had lacked reinforcements, and the intruders had proven to be particularly well organized. The Emperor had shown magnanimity, refusing to question either his loyalty or his competence.

  The Captain observed that the incident had produced an effect none of them had formally anticipated—nor even dared to hope for: the Emperor and his wife had grown closer.

  Since her return to the palace, Lady Cerena had been wary, distant, or bitter. The Emperor had originally arranged the marriage for purely strategic reasons. Yet things may have evolved differently from what he had imagined… unless he was merely deceiving himself.

  Still, one thing was certain: for several weeks now, the Emperor had not missed a single visit to his wife. Every evening, without fail, he went to see her. And although the Captain maintained impeccable professionalism, he couldn’t help but overhear that the atmosphere in their chambers had changed… for the better.

  His own observations were further confirmed by Lady Cerena’s charming handmaiden, with whom he occasionally shared pillow confidences.

  ???

  Weeks passed, and Lady Cerena appeared increasingly relaxed and at ease. Whether she spent the night in the Emperor’s chambers or in her own, she awoke in good spirits and seemed to appreciate life at the palace far more. Ever attentive to her needs, the handmaiden admired her resilience.

  Her mistress had taken to going out each morning to walk through the palace, always under escort. She appeared to stroll, to observe, to memorize. When she asked her about the reason for this change, her Lady simply replied with a smile:

  “I merely need to walk, and I would like to take in my surroundings as well. Why not combine business with pleasure?”

  The Emperor, too, visited her daily, and even when she herself was not present, she sensed that his arrival was no longer dreaded—only awaited.

  Her Lady had never gone into detail about the time she had spent outside the palace more than six years earlier. Still, the handmaiden knew that the young woman she had been back then had ultimately flourished. According to the Captain, although she had lived in a cold and hostile environment, she had formed new bonds.

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  And even though she never spoke of her family, not even of the Prince, the handmaiden suspected that he was no longer the only one she cared about—though she could not be certain.

  But that hardly mattered now, for Lady Cerena seemed to be coming back to life.

  ???

  Since her first full night with the Emperor, he had seemed less distant, less cold. He returned to see her unfailingly, spending time with her.

  She no longer feared taking the initiative with him; she knew he would not hold a misstep against her… even if he remained, for the most part, true to himself.

  She no longer cared how she was perceived, fully aware that the respect shown to her was not entirely disinterested.

  Even the Captain, in whom she placed complete trust for her safety, served the Emperor above all else and was among his closest advisers.

  Who had pulled the strings mattered little. She had chosen to live in the present moment, even if it meant paying the price later.

  She had grown attached to the Emperor despite herself, despite the harm he had done her—without ever denying it.

  Others seemed better informed than she was about her own future, and she had no idea what awaited her. Would she spend the rest of her life at the palace? Would she ever see Owen and Elvira again? And if so, under what circumstances?

  Her daughter had been violently drawn into this story; she wished she had found peace, and that she would not try to seek her out, though she missed her terribly.

  Her son, on the other hand, had been manipulated by his father—the Emperor—and in the end had gained nothing from it but the sense that he had failed to protect his family. He was surely still consumed by guilt and a desire for revenge… which frightened her most of all.

  She feared watching Owen consume himself; but above all, she feared being powerless to stop him or support him in time.

  And so, though she dreamed of holding him in her arms again, she grew more apprehensive with each passing day about the moment of his return.

  That was why she took refuge in the present. It was the only thing she could influence and control, in her own limited way.

  ???

  Three months had passed since the day of the intrusion.

  She hummed to herself, ate her fill, and lingered in her baths. Before long, she began to feel constrained by her usual clothes.

  Her handmaiden had new garments tailored for her—looser, more flowing. But noticing the absence of her moons as well, she could only reach one conclusion: she was pregnant.