The two children's gazes met. For Cinderella, it felt as though time had stopped, because the moment their eyes locked, she began to see him differently from everyone else.
She could barely whisper:
"He's cute."
Her mother, the queen, looked at her with a sly smile.
As for the king, he walked toward his guest. The two men stood face to face, and their serious expressions quickly turned into laughter. They embraced, giving each other warm pats on the back as they said between laughs:
"Uther, it's been far too long!"
"You're looking older, Alexander. Has the war worn you down?"
"You have no idea."
The men walked together toward the side of the throne, chatting animatedly. The soldiers in futuristic armor accompanied Uther, but the man raised his hand with a brief open-palmed gesture. The knights immediately understood they were to wait there.
