CHAPTER 15 - The Palace of Valtherion
The royal carriage finally stopped in front of the main staircase of the Palace of Valtherion.
White towers rose high beneath the morning sky. The royal banners fluttered gently between the massive stone pillars that supported the palace balconies.
Guards stood in lines on both sides of the staircase.
The moment the carriage door opened, they all knelt. "Your Majesty, the Queen."
Keira stepped down from the carriage slowly. The palace felt familiar… yet at the same time foreign. She did not have a single memory of this place.
And yet Aelirra's body seemed to recognize it.
Lucien stood beside her. "Welcome back to Valtherion."
Keira glanced at him briefly. Daniel stepped out of the carriage behind her, observing the palace carefully.
"Yeah… this is definitely not a five-star hotel."
Lucien ignored the comment.
"I will escort Your Majesty to your private chambers."
However, they had only taken a few steps into the grand hall of the palace when someone hurried toward them.
An elderly man in formal royal robes bowed quickly.
"Lord Sylvaris."
Lucien stopped.
"What is it?"
The man looked uneasy.
"The Royal Chancellor requests that you return to your office immediately."
Lucien frowned slightly.
"Now?"
"Several royal documents have encountered problems," the man swallowed nervously. "And the Chancellor said that only you can handle them."
Lucien let out a short breath. He clearly disliked the timing.
He turned to Keira.
"My apologies, Your Majesty."
He glanced at Kael.
"Sir Kael will escort you to your chambers."
Kael bowed his head slightly. "With pleasure."
Lucien looked at Keira one more time.
"If there is anything you need, inform the palace servants." Keira simply gave a small nod.
Lucien then turned and quickly walked down another corridor with the man who had summoned him.
Now only Keira, Daniel, and Kael remained.
Kael gestured politely.
"Please, Your Majesty."
They walked down the long palace corridor.
The white marble floor reflected the light from the tall windows. Paintings of former kings hung along the walls. Their footsteps echoed softly.
Several passing servants immediately lowered their heads.
Daniel whispered quietly, "This place is basically a museum."
Keira did not answer. She was calmly observing every corner of the palace.
Until their steps suddenly stopped. Someone was standing at the end of the corridor.
A woman wearing an elegant dark red gown. Her blonde hair fell neatly over her shoulders, and her chin was lifted with almost aristocratic confidence.
Princess Roxane.
Her gaze immediately fell on Keira. Several seconds passed in silence. Then Roxane gave a faint smile. "So the rumors are true."
Her voice was soft, but clearly full of judgment. "The Queen has finally returned to the palace."
Kael stiffened slightly beside Keira. Daniel looked at the woman with curiosity.
Keira studied her for a few seconds. She did not bow, nor did she show the courtesy Aelirra might once have displayed.
"Who are you?" Keira asked flatly., the corridor instantly fell silent.
Roxane's expression changed. "Excuse me?"
Keira tilted her head slightly. "I asked who you are."
Her tone was calm, but clearly lacking any respect.
Roxane stared at her in disbelief. "I am Roxane," she said, her voice turning colder.
"Princess of the Kingdom of Elyndra." She paused briefly. "And the official envoy of Elyndra in Valtherion."
Keira nodded slightly. "Ah." She looked at her calmly. "Okay."
Daniel almost choked trying to hold back his laughter.
Roxane narrowed her eyes slightly. "Our kingdom offered military and food aid to Valtherion, which still struggles to recover after the Great War ended."
Her tone had become sharper.
"And a very important agreement was formed for the stability of this kingdom."
Keira looked at her for a few seconds. "And?"
Roxane smiled faintly. "As part of that diplomatic relationship…"
She paused. "…I share a personal closeness with King Alaric." The sentence was clearly meant as a provocation.
Not to remind Aelirra—whom Roxane believed to be suffering from amnesia—but to unsettle her. Unfortunately for Roxane…
The woman standing before her now was Keira, not Aelirra. Keira simply looked at her with a flat expression. "Oh." That was her only reaction.
Roxane looked slightly confused. She had probably expected jealousy, or anger.
But the woman in front of her seemed… indifferent.
Keira finally spoke. "Sorry." She pointed lightly at her head.
"I had an accident, didn't I?"
Roxane stared at her sharply.
Keira continued casually, "My memories of palace life are still a bit… empty."
She looked at Roxane with an almost curious expression.
"So if you're expecting me to feel something about that…" She shrugged lightly. "…I'm afraid I can't help you."
Silence fell in the corridor. Roxane stared at her for a long moment. The Aelirra she knew had never spoken like this, that woman had always been gentle.
Always careful….. but the woman standing before her now…
was far too confident…. far too sharp.
Finally, Roxane smiled faintly. "It seems the accident truly changed many things."
Keira returned the smile. "Maybe."
She looked at Roxane calmly."Or maybe I just stopped being the same person."
Roxane fell silent for a moment. Then she let out a small laugh.
"Interesting." She walked past them.
But before leaving, she said softly,
"I look forward to seeing how this new Queen of Valtherion… adapts to palace life."
Roxane walked away.
Daniel finally whispered,
"Wow."
He looked at Keira with admiration.
"She really believes you have amnesia."
Kael remained silent.
But even he could clearly see something.
That meeting had not been just a conversation.
It was the first battle between two women in the Palace of Valtherion.
And for now…
Keira had just won the first round.