CHAPTER 64
The next day, the kingdom returned to its usual atmosphere, trains humming in the distance, merchants bargaining over prices, and children, tall and radiant with laughter, running freely through the stone-paved paths.
And above all, Juliet was happy.
"I feel like a true queen now," she murmured to herself, standing before an ornate mirror. She ran a hand over her hair and smiled at her reflection.
A sudden knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Who's there?" she called.
"Good day, Queen Juliet," a bold feminine voice responded from the other side.
Juliet froze. Her heart skipped slightly, she quickly smoothed her bun, straightened her robe, and walked toward the door.
Standing there was Queen Judith, draped in a flowing green gown adorned with gold jewelry that sparkled under the corridor's soft light. Her long silk hair fell over her weathered but elegant face. Despite its dryness, she looked regal, like a portrait come to life.
