The first rays of sunlight filtered through the drawn curtains, spilling across the chamber and painting the floor in gold. Aurelia stirred, blinking against the light that pierced her tired eyes. She'd only managed a few hours of sleep after the chaos of the night. Her body ached, not from wounds, but from the weight of too many thoughts.
"Good morning, my lady," Gwen said softly as she stepped inside, her arms full of folded linens. Her voice carried its usual warmth, but there was something cautious in it...like she was testing the waters.
Aurelia sat up slowly, pressing a palm to her temple. "Morning already?" she murmured, her tone dry. "I feel like I only just closed my eyes."
"You did," Gwen replied, setting the linens down and opening the curtains wider. "But it's coronation day. The palace has been buzzing since dawn. The bells are being polished, the tapestries hung, and the kitchens smell like a festival. It feels... different."
Aurelia rubbed her temple and gave a small laugh. "Different? Or chaotic?"
"Both," Gwen said with a grin. "Everyone's been preparing since dawn. Even the kitchens smell like celebration." She hesitated before adding softly, "Everyone's talking too."
Aurelia looked up, her tone dry. "Let me guess ..about the cursed queen, no doubt."
Gwen's silence was answer enough.
"I suppose I should be flattered I still hold their interest," Aurelia muttered. "Though I'd rather they find someone else to whisper about."
"You can't ignore it forever," Gwen said carefully. "What they're saying… it isn't kind."
"I don't own their opinions," Aurelia said, pushing herself to her feet. "Valerian made me queen to protect me, not to be loved. But that crown..." she looked toward the window where the sun glinted off the distant towers ".....it's mine to hold now. Whether cursed or not, I'll wear it."
Gwen pressed her lips together. "You know how people are. They talk because they don't understand."
"I don't need their understanding," Aurelia said simply. "Or their approval. Let them talk. They can't take the crown off my head."
"That's not what worries me," Gwen said gently. "It's how cruel words can cut deeper than blades."
Aurelia gave a faint, humorless smile. "Then they'll find I've grown immune to cuts."
Gwen frowned slightly. "You sound… different this morning."
"I am," Aurelia said. She turned toward her maid, her voice hardening with resolve. "Last night changed something in me. I've spent years hiding...feeling helpless, guilty, broken. But not anymore. Whoever's pulling the strings, whoever thinks they can use my curse to destroy me… they'll learn I'm not easy prey. I'm a survivor. And I'll survive with dignity."
Gwen studied her for a moment, then smiled faintly. "That's the Aurelia I remember from Ashmere. The one who never backed down, even when her father barked orders like a war general."
Aurelia's lips twitched. "I've missed her too. And besides, now I know there's more to this damned cursed and there's hope that there's a way to undo it, I'll strive towards it."
Silence fell for a brief moment, broken only by the soft rustle of fabrics as Gwen began laying out the queen's ceremonial gown...the beautiful blue silk, the colors of rebirth. Aurelia stared at it for a while before speaking again.
"Valkoron isn't what it seems, Gwen," she said quietly. "Since I arrived, I've felt it...secrets in the walls, eyes in the shadows. I'm walking through a kingdom of masks. I don't know who to trust... ..I'm stepping into a game I barely understand."
"Then you'll need power to find the truth," Gwen said simply.
Aurelia turned to her, eyes burning like embers. "And that's exactly what I'm taking today...the power of a queen."
Gwen's gaze softened, though her voice held worry. "People won't make it easy for you. Not with the curse."
"When has life ever been easy for me?" Aurelia asked. "When my father made me his heir, he gave me the weight of an empire. When the curse came, he gave me shame. I've never had an easy path .... and I don't expect one now.
But that's fine. I'll clear every obstacle they throw at me. Easy isn't something I've ever known. But hardship doesn't scare me, Gwen. It builds me."
There was pride in Gwen's eyes when she said. "You sound like you're ready for war."
Aurelia laughed, shaking her head. "No. Just ready to stop running."
"Then I'll stand beside you," Gwen said. "As I always have. Whether you're cursed, crowned, or both."
Aurelia looked at her fondly. "You've always been braver than you admit."
Gwen smirked. "Someone has to be, since you keep throwing yourself into danger."
A sharp knock cut her off. The two women exchanged a look. Gwen sighed, muttering under her breath, "Valkoron and morning peace were never meant to coexist."
Aurelia raised a brow. "See who it is."
Gwen walked to the door and opened it. Standing there was a young woman, tall and poised, her raven-black hair cascading over her shoulders like ink. Dressed in a gown that whispered wealth and arrogance. Her lips were painted a deep red, and her eyes...dark as onyx...studied Gwen with mild impatience.
"I'd like to speak with Aurelia Flameborne," the woman said, her tone crisp and commanding.
Gwen blinked. "Flameborne?"
Aurelia froze mid-step. Flameborne. Since she came to valkoron, no one here apart from the dowager queen Aelira could dare call her flameborne here. It's been Stormborne since she arrived.
"Let her in," Aurelia said at last, her voice calm though her pulse raced. She's intrigued by the woman that wanted to meet her.
The woman glided into the room as though she owned it, her gaze sweeping over Aurelia's bedchamber before landing on Aurelia herself. She did not bow. "I've been meaning to speak with you for some time."
Aurelia straightened her spine, and raised an eyebrow at the disrespect and audacity. "Then perhaps you should start with your name. And your manners."
The woman's lips curved in the faintest smile. "Cynthia Raventhorn," she said. "Daughter of Lord Cornelius Raventhorn of the Eastern Province. A loyal servant of the crown."
Gwen bristled at her tone, but Aurelia raised a hand, silencing her.
"So, Lady Raventhorn," Aurelia said evenly. "What brings you here unannounced?"