[Lavinia's Pov—Imperial Palace—Banquet Hall]
"Let's go, Osric," I murmured, my fingers curling around his warm hand.
"It's time," he replied softly, the corners of his lips lifting into a small, reassuring smile.
The double doors swung open with a slow, deliberate creak, letting in a wash of golden light from the banquet hall. Marshi trotted beside me, his paws clicking against the marble floor, his silken fur brushing against the hem of my gown.
Solena was perched up on him, proudly.
We stepped forward together—Osric's hand still clasping mine—as though the air itself parted for our passage. Every conversation died. Heads turned.
Eyes widened.
Gasps slipped through painted lips.
The scent of roses from the hall's towering arrangements mingled with the faint chill of the corridor behind me, making the moment feel suspended in time.
"By the stars… she's breathtaking tonight," a woman's voice trembled in awe.
