Carmina’s eyes sparkled with mischievous disbelief, but she shook her head, laughing under her breath.
“I still can’t believe this... you... here... and soon to be a princess?!” she said, her words tumbling over each other in excitement.
River exhaled deeply and sat down heavily on one of the ornate chairs near the fireplace, exhaustion pulling at her limbs. She buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up at Carmina with a small, weary smile.
“Trust me... I feel the same. It’s been a whirlwind. I have no idea how any of this happened.”
Carmina knelt beside her, her hands wrapping around River’s in a tight, comforting grip, her expression suddenly serious.
“River... I’m not just a maid, or a bystander. We shared years of good and bad back home. Please, be honest with
