When they reached the grand dining hall, Eden saw her grandmother already waiting at the head of the long table. Donna gently guided her toward an empty seat.
"Thank you," Eden murmured before sitting down.
Queen Eleanor's eyes immediately fell on the bandage wrapped around Eden's arm. Her brows creased in concern.
"Donna, do you think we should call a doctor?"
"We can—"
"There's no need," Eden interrupted quickly. Both women turned to her. "I mean… it's just a small wound, Your Majesty. Nothing serious," she added, forcing a faint smile.
"Eden," said the Queen in a calm but firm voice. "You are the next Queen of Valenor. Above all else, you must learn to take care of yourself."
She shifted her attention back to Donna. "How many days do we have before we return to Valenor?"
"Twenty days, Your Majesty," Donna replied. "On the nineteenth, you have a dinner ball with the nobles, ambassadors, and foreign dignitaries. That will also be the night we introduce Her Highness to the world as the new heir to the throne."
The Queen nodded. "That's enough time. Starting tomorrow, I want you to begin her lessons on our customs and traditions. Arrange tutors to teach her other languages and royal etiquette. She must be well-prepared before we return home."
As the Queen spoke, Donna was already typing notes on her tablet. Eden, meanwhile, felt her vision start to blur. The words around her seemed to blend together, the weight of it all pressing down on her.
"Wait," Eden said softly, cutting through the Queen's instructions. Both women looked at her. "I… I haven't even had time to process everything yet. A few days ago, I was just a college student. Then suddenly, I learned I'm a king's daughter—and now, the next heir to a throne. Can we slow down, just a little? I'm getting dizzy."
Her voice trembled as she added, "Your Majesty, I've spent my whole life as just Eden—a simple girl who enjoyed being ordinary. Can't I stay that way, just for a while?"
For a moment, Queen Eleanor simply looked at her. Then, to Eden's surprise, the Queen smiled softly. "We'll talk about that after dinner," she said. She signaled to Donna, who relayed the order to the kitchen.
Moments later, the doors opened, and the chefs entered, carrying trays of steaming food. "These are traditional delicacies from Valenor," the Queen said proudly. "I wanted you to taste the flavors of your homeland."
Eden smiled faintly and tried the dishes, each bite bringing a strange sense of familiarity—as if part of her already belonged to this place.
After dinner, the Queen led her to a quiet study filled with old books and framed photographs. "Come," she said gently, gesturing toward a table. Laid out before them were several albums.
"These are your father's photos," said the Queen, opening one of the albums. Eden leaned closer, her eyes softening as she saw the face of King Darius—smiling, proud, holding two young boys.
"That's Alaric and Rowan," the Queen said fondly. "Your brothers."
As the Queen spoke, she shared stories of the late king—how wise and kind he was, and how much he had loved both his people and his family. Eden listened in silence, feeling a lump form in her throat. Though she had never met him, it felt as though she was rediscovering a part of herself she never knew was missing.
Before they parted for the night, Queen Eleanor turned to her with a solemn expression. "I owe you an apology, my dear. For separating your parents. I saw how heartbroken Alaric was when Cynthia left Valenor. He devoted his life to ruling and to raising your brothers. But not a day passed that he didn't think of you both."
Eden's chest tightened. She didn't know how to respond, so she simply nodded, her eyes glistening.
The Queen then took a small bundle of letters from her desk and handed them to her. "These were written by your father—for you. There are also some addressed to your mother. I believe it's time you read them."
Eden accepted the letters carefully, as if they were made of glass. Later, in her room, she placed them on her desk before stepping out onto the terrace.
The night was calm, the sea shimmering under the full moon. The breeze brushed against her skin as she gazed up at the sky.
"So this… is the world I was born into," she whispered, holding the letters close to her heart.
The moonlight caught the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes as she stood there—half a girl, half a queen, standing on the edge of the life she once knew and the destiny she could no longer escape.
"Commander!"
Cynthia's voice rang across the hotel lobby as soon as she saw Davin and General Andrew step through the entrance. Her face was pale with worry, and Paula, Ashmaria, and Anica trailed behind her, all looking equally anxious.
Phillip had called earlier, saying that Cynthia and the others were waiting at the Kingdom Hotel. The moment Davin arrived, Cynthia hurried toward them.
"Andrew, what happened? Why are you two together?" Anica asked, rushing to her husband and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Ashmaria followed and kissed her father's cheek, and Davin greeted his own mother the same way.
"Commander, what's going on? Where is Eden?" Cynthia's eyes darted behind Davin, searching for any sign of her daughter.
Andrew exchanged a brief glance with Davin before saying, "Let's talk somewhere private."
They moved to Ashmaria's office, where the atmosphere quickly turned serious.
"What do you mean she's not coming back yet?" Cynthia demanded, her voice trembling.
Davin inhaled deeply. "Miss Anderson, Eden is safe. She's with her grandmother—the Queen of Valenor."
"The Queen?" Paula echoed, her eyes widening.
Andrew nodded. "Yes. Her Majesty asked me personally to bring her granddaughter to her. She'll stay there for a while. The Queen has diplomatic matters to attend to, and she's also preparing to introduce Eden to the world as her heir."
Paula frowned. "But… is that really alright? I mean, just the other night she was presented as the new face of Empire and Kingdom. After everything that happened at the conference, she became a sensation overnight. If she disappears now, people will—"
"Sooner or later, this was bound to happen," Andrew interrupted calmly. "It only came sooner than expected. The Queen can't afford to wait any longer. She needs to declare her successor to prevent further unrest in their country."
Cynthia pressed her lips together, nodding slowly. "I understand that, but…" She turned to Davin. "Commander, you're her bodyguard. Why aren't you with her? Even if she's under her grandmother's protection, I can't help but worry. She'll have enemies everywhere once the world knows who she is. And I trust only you to protect her."
Davin met her gaze, his tone steady but his eyes reflecting something softer. "I'm sorry, Miss Anderson. My assignment ended the moment Her Majesty met her granddaughter. That was the agreement. But I assure you—Eden is safe. The Queen's estate is heavily secured, and Her Majesty is more than capable of protecting her."
Cynthia lowered her head, trying to hide the fear in her expression.
Andrew placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You can rest easy, Cynthia. The Queen's people will reach out to you soon. Your daughter is strong—braver than you think. I've seen it myself. She'll be fine."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioner and Cynthia's quiet sigh.
Davin stood at attention once more, masking the heaviness in his chest. She'll be fine, he repeated to himself—because that was what he had to believe.