A week passed, though it felt longer.
Daphne barely saw Alaric during that time. He came only for Nathaniel. Always focused on the baby. He never stayed long enough for real conversation.
She tried.
Once, she asked how his day was. He answered with a single word and left.
Another time, she asked if they could talk later. He said he had meetings.
Sometimes he didn't even look at her. It hurt more than she expected. She knew he hadn't forgiven her. She could feel it in the space he kept between them.
After a few days, she stopped trying. Not because she didn't care, but because she didn't know what else to do.
She prayed instead, asking for patience. Asking that one day, he would look at her the way he used to.
The way that made her feel safe.
By the seventh day, the palace felt unbearable. The walls felt too close, and the silence too loud.
So she made a decision.
"I want to visit my parents," she told Alice that morning.
Alice looked up. "Today?"
"Yes."
