Chapter 42: The Simpler Time

The early morning sun streamed through the tall windows of the courtier’s quarters, casting a golden glow across the halls where two small figures darted about, their laughter filling the air with a melody of innocence. Alina, just nine at the time, had an adventurous spark in her eyes, her black hair tousled and her tunic slightly torn from climbing the trees in the garden. Lyra, two years younger, chased after her, her giggles blending with her sister’s as they sprinted through the corridors, their bare feet tapping rhythmically against the marble floors.

Their father, Ferdinand, watched them from a distance, his heart swelling with pride and affection. His daughters were the light of his life, the very reason he woke every day with renewed purpose. As the royal advisor to the king, he bore the weight of the kingdom’s burdens on his shoulders, but the moment he stepped through the doors of his home, all of that melted away. Here, he was just “Father,” and nothing else mattered.