The palace buzzed with speculation, whispers of the king’s unborn child passing through halls, echoing in chambers, and even reaching the courtyards. Workers and guards engaged in hushed conversations, debating the gender of the child.
“I bet it’s a boy,” one of the maids said while polishing the ornate banister in the main hall. “The king’s firstborn must be a son. It’s tradition.”
Another maid frowned, clutching a basket of linens. “But what if it’s a girl? A princess could bring grace to the kingdom. And have you seen the position of her bump? I’m no doctor, but when I had my second girl I noticed that my bump was the exact same shape.”
“It doesn’t matter what the baby is,” a third chimed in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “If it’s a boy, Lady Scarlett will never let the queen
