TWENTY THREE: Igor

"...and I asked her what she thought of my latest tiara, and you won't believe what she said – just 'alright.' My tiara wasn't made to get such lukewarm reactions." Claire kept on talking during our tea and biscuit gathering.

I tried to stay interested, but I got tired of her constant talk about her new dresses and tiaras, and what others think of her. She's a beautiful woman, no doubt.

But behind her royal appearance, I wanted more than just surface-level stuff about wealth and beauty. As she went on about tiaras and dresses, I wished for deeper conversations about life and the world beyond the palace.

When Claire started talking about her latest tiara again, I nodded politely, hiding my growing tiredness with a fake smile. Every word she said about gemstones and craftsmanship made me feel even more weighed down.