The Lonely Palace

The royal palace wasn't completely unfamiliar. She'd spent a few days in it before the wedding.

But she'd spent more time in the wedding palace. With those books. With those servants.

With that garden, pond, and flower.

She stood in front of one of the grand windows of the palace, watching the rain pour down over the mountainside.

She was, ostensibly, free to go wherever she wished. She could leave the palace, in theory.

In reality, she'd likely be stopped if she went far from it, because she was still a political prisoner underneath the veneer of marriage.

But the point was - she had much more room to wander and explore, much more freedom.

...It translated to loneliness.

She was...

Not completely alone, of course.

She was surrounded by servants. Servants who treated her respectfully, as a true Princess of Sidera should be treated.