POV: Alex
The palace gardens were quiet that morning—too quiet. Dew clung to the petals of blooming flowers, sparkling like tiny diamonds in the golden early light. A soft breeze carried the scent of jasmine and fresh earth, brushing past Alex as she walked the winding stone path.
For the first time since the coronation, she finally felt alone.
Alone with the weight of a crown she wasn’t sure she was worthy of carrying.
She found her way to the hidden corner of the garden—a place she had discovered as a child, long before she knew she was destined for anything more than survival. The pond there shimmered like a mirror of silver glass, its surface rippling gently under the breeze. She sank onto the weathered stone bench beside it, pulling her knees close and letting her thoughts unravel
