As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Carlton and Alaric gathered with their seven children for dinner. Servants bustled about, preparing a lavish feast fit for royalty. The constant address of "Empress" by the servants and guards had long since lost its impact on Carlton - he was numb to it all.
The realization that his current circumstances were vastly different from what he knew began to sink in like a heavy stone. The future couldn't possibly be so radically altered, not even by time's relentless march. His own personality seemed to have undergone a radical transformation and felt foreign to him. Even Alaric - his dear friend turned love-struck spouse - was an entirely new person.