Margret jolted awake, her heart pounding as her hands instinctively reached out—only to grasp at empty sheets. Her baby was gone.
Panic surged through her veins as she scrambled out of bed, her eyes darting wildly around the room. Nothing. No cradle, no sign that her child had ever been there.
"No... no, no, no!" she whispered, her breath coming in frantic gasps. She tore open the door and rushed into the corridor, her bare feet slapping against the cold floor as she searched desperately.
The palace was alive with activity—nobles, servants, and guards still lingering from the night before. Margret barely registered their confused expressions as she stumbled through the halls.
"Where is my baby?!" she screamed, her voice echoing off the high ceilings.
People froze. Eyes turned to her.
