Back at the carriage, Silver couldn't shake the uneasy feeling twisting in her stomach. Something about the Duke felt off, but she hadn't had the chance to ask him about it.
Then she remembered—the General was from the North and one of the Duke's most trusted men. She wasn't used to feeling anxious, and that was exactly why she decided she'd ask him instead.
Silver leaned against the frame of the carriage window, peeking out at the General who rode beside her on horseback. The rhythmic clop of hooves against the road filled the quiet space between them.
"Uhmm… General, can I ask a question?" she started, her voice hesitant, uncertainty flickering across her face.
"What is it, Your Majesty?" the General replied, guiding his horse a little closer to the window.
"Do you know why the Duke chose the Cherry Blossom tree?"
The General paused, brows furrowing as if searching his memory. Then his expression brightened.
