Adeline POV
"Apologies for Lady Beatrice's behavior towards you," Lady Charlotte said as she glanced at me while we made our way out of the dining chamber.
I looked back at her and shook my head.
"There is no need to apologize on her behalf," I said calmly. "Lady Beatrice is entitled to her thoughts, just as I am to mine."
Charlotte gave a small nod, though she still looked slightly uneasy. "I suppose that is true," she admitted softly.
We walked side by side through the long palace hallway. Sunlight poured in through the tall windows, stretching across the polished floor beneath our feet.
For a moment neither of us spoke. Then Charlotte sighed quietly. "I do hope the days ahead will not always feel like a battlefield," she murmured.
I could not help the faint smile that touched my lips.
"If they are," I said gently, "then at least we will learn quickly who truly came here to be a queen… and who merely came to wear a crown."
Charlotte glanced at me again, studying my face as though trying to understand me better. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, curiosity soft in her voice.
I slowed my steps a little as we continued down the corridor, the faint echo of our slippers following us.
"What I mean," I said after a moment, "is that there is a difference between someone who desires the crown… and someone who understands what it truly means to wear it."
Charlotte tilted her head slightly, clearly listening.
"Many people see the throne and think only of power, wealth, and admiration," I continued. "But they forget that a queen must also carry the burdens of the kingdom."
I glanced briefly out the tall window beside us before looking back at her. "A crown is not simply decoration," I added quietly. "It is responsibility."
Charlotte was silent for a moment. Then she let out a small breath. "I had not thought of it that way," she admitted.
A faint smile touched my lips. "I did not think of it that way either," I said softly. "Until yesterday."
Lady Charlotte nodded, and we continued walking until we reached the tall double doors that lead outside of the palace. Two palace guards stood on either side, dressed in their uniforms. At our approach, they pushed the heavy doors open for us.
Lady Charlotte and I both inclined our heads towards them which they returned politely, before stepping outside.
The moment we crossed the threshold, the fresh, cool air greeted us. The palace courtyard stretched wide before us, paved with pale stone and lined with trimmed hedges and tall statues of former rulers.
A sudden breeze swept through the open grounds.
It carried the faint scent of flowers from the royal gardens nearby and, unfortunately, sent my red hair flying straight into my face.
I instantly regretted leaving it down, when I should have thought about its length… and thickness.
Strands of it whipped across my eyes and lips as I tried to push it back with both hands.
Beside me, Charlotte let out a soft laugh.
"Do not laugh, Lady Charlotte," I groaned playfully, still trying to free myself from the chaos of my own hair.
That only made her laugh harder. "My apologies," she said between breaths, though it was quite clear she was not sorry at all.
I finally managed to gather the unruly strands and push them behind my shoulders with an exasperated sigh.
"Next time," I muttered, "I shall braid it like a sensible woman."
Charlotte chuckled softly beside me.
We continued walking, and I could not help but feel completely mesmerized by the beauty of the palace grounds. I had seen parts of it the previous night and had already thought it magnificent, but in the clear light of morning it was something else entirely.
The courtyard seemed even grander now.
Stone pathways stretched across the wide compound, bordered by trimmed hedges and flower beds bursting with color. Servants moved quietly about their duties while guards stood at their posts, their armor glinting faintly under the sun.
But it was the large water fountain at the center of the courtyard that truly captured my attention.
At its heart stood a sculpture of a woman. She had long, flowing curls carved so delicately that water dripped from them like falling rain into the wide basin beneath her. In her hands she held a large pearl, and the water seemed to spill gently from it as though it carried life itself.
The craftsmanship was remarkable. Every detail, from the folds of her gown to the soft curve of her face, had been carved with such care that the figure almost looked alive.
I slowed my steps without realizing it. I had come outside the previous night and yet I had seen nothing like this. Had it been there then, surely I would not have missed it.
"It is beautiful," Lady Charlotte murmured beside me.
I nodded in agreement, still staring.
"Do you know," she continued, "the king specially imported foreign craftsmen to help create this sculpture of his wife."
My eyes widened in disbelief. I turned quickly to look at her, making sure I had heard correctly.
"This is the Queen of Valempire?" I asked.
Charlotte nodded with a gentle smile.
I looked back at the sculpture.
For a moment, I simply stood there, studying the woman's peaceful expression. There was something almost tender in the way she had been carved, as though the artist had been instructed to capture not just her likeness… but the memory of her.
A small smile slowly bloomed across my face.
Charlotte noticed it. "What is it?" she asked curiously.
I shook my head softly. "The king must truly love his wife," I said.
Charlotte followed my gaze back to the sculpture. For a brief moment, neither of us spoke as the water continued to fall gently into the basin below, the quiet sound echoing across the courtyard.
"Yes," Charlotte said after a moment. "That is what people say." Her voice held a thoughtful note.