The sun was setting by the time Lylie and the Queen Mother returned to the palace after the procession. The streets were quieter now, the crowds having dispersed, but the energy in Lylie's heart still buzzed like a live wire.
Her people had accepted her with open arms. They had heard her, seen her, and celebrated her—not just as their queen, but as her. And that feeling—being seen, truly seen—was something she would carry with her forever.
As the royal carriage pulled up to the palace gates, Lylie couldn't help but laugh to herself. "I did it," she murmured under her breath. "I really did it."
The Queen Mother sat across from her, her face stoic as ever. But there was a hint of something in her eyes, something like approval or maybe pride. For a moment, Lylie dared to believe that, despite their rocky start, the Queen Mother might actually be proud of her.