River’s eyes glistened. “No… you did it. You proved them all wrong.”
He smiled faintly. “We proved them wrong — together.”
--
Later, during the grand banquet, laughter and music filled the air, though tension still coiled beneath the surface like a sleeping serpent. Queen Victoria remained a silent observer, her expression unreadable.
But River’s attention was drawn elsewhere — to Queen Lana, Heiko’s mother.
She approached slowly, regal as ever, dressed in deep emeralds and pearls. For a moment, the entire court held its breath. The history between her and River was no secret; the gossips had feasted on their past animosity for months.
Then, to everyone’s astonishment, Lana inclined her head in genuine respect.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty,” she said, her tone softer than anyone h
