[Lavinia's POV—One Year Before—Two Months After the Coronation]
After taking the throne, life became… busy.
Endlessly busy.
Meetings that never ended. Laws that needed rewriting. Nobles who needed scaring at least once a week. But somewhere between executions and reforms, life also became soft.
I had more time with Haldor. Real time. Morning arguments over reports, stolen kisses between council sessions, evenings where we simply existed together.
Papa, unfortunately, sulked.
A lot.
He sulked about Haldor. He sulked about me not eating enough. He sulked about the throne "stealing" his daughter.
And then—one day—
SLAM!!!!!!
The door to my chamber nearly flew off its hinges. "You CRAZY BASTARD—WHY DID MY DAUGHTER FAINT—"
Papa stormed in mid-roar, and then he froze.
