Aria stared through the carriage window as the familiar streets of Elarion slowly disappeared behind her.
She had barely spoken since leaving the university.
The golden strands in her hair remained impossible to ignore. Every time she caught her reflection in the window, she touched them absentmindedly, still trying to convince herself that what had happened had actually been real.
Ignara had chosen her.
Her.
A girl from the Ardentis Clan.
The carriage continued along a wide road leading away from the university and toward the heart of Valmyr.
Tall stone walls eventually appeared in the distance.
Beyond them stood the royal palace.
Aria's eyes widened.
The palace was enormous.
Several towering structures rose behind the walls, their pale stone surfaces glowing beneath the afternoon sun. Golden banners bearing the royal crest hung from the towers, while armed guards stood proudly at the massive entrance.
It was indeed the royal palace, the heart of Elarion. Despite the changes brought by generations, it still preserved the culture and traditions established by their ancestors.
The carriage slowed as it approached the gates.
Aria swallowed.
She had never imagined she would see the royal palace this soon.
The gates opened.
The carriage passed through.
Inside, everything seemed even more magnificent.
Beautiful gardens stretched across both sides of the long pathway, filled with strange flowers and carefully trimmed trees. A large fountain stood at the centre of the courtyard, its water sparkling beneath the sunlight.
The carriage finally came to a stop.
One of the Ashern Circle members opened the door.
"Miss Fleur."
Aria hesitated before stepping down.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she felt dozens of eyes on her.
Palace servants.
Guards.
Nobles.
Everyone knew.
The girl Ignara had chosen had arrived.
Aria adjusted her clothes nervously.
"Where are we going?"
"To meet the royal family."
Her heart skipped.
The royal family.
She had never stood this close to them before.
She followed the members of the Ashern Circle through the grand entrance.
Inside, the palace was even more breathtaking. Tall pillars lined the enormous hall, decorated with golden carvings and ancient symbols. Large paintings of former kings and queens covered the walls.
At the far end of the hall stood two massive doors.
The leader of the Ashern Circle stopped before them.
He looked at Aria.
"Are you ready?"
Aria took a breath.
"No."
The old man almost smiled.
"Good. At least you're honest."
The doors slowly opened.
Aria stepped inside.
At the far end of the grand chamber sat the King and his Queens.
And beside them stood the man whose life had just become connected to hers.
Prince Adrian.
Aria's eyes met his.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The room seemed strangely quiet.
Adrian's expression was unreadable as he studied her.
His gaze eventually moved to the golden strands in her hair.
So this was the girl Ignara had chosen.
The Ardentis girl.
King Darian rose from his seat.
"Aria Fleur."
Aria immediately lowered her head respectfully.
"Your Majesty."
"You may raise your head."
She did.
King Darian studied her carefully.
There was no disgust in his expression.
Only concern.
"You have been through quite a lot today."
Aria nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Queen Mira, seated beside him, offered her a gentle smile.
"You must be frightened."
"A little," Aria admitted.
The Queen's expression softened.
"You have nothing to fear within these walls."
Aria wasn't sure whether she believed that yet.
The second Queen, Elena, remained silent for a moment, studying the young woman standing before them.
Then her eyes fell upon the golden strands.
"Ignara has never made a careless choice."
The room became quiet.
King Darian exchanged a brief glance with the Queen Dowager seated nearby.
Aria noticed the elderly woman seated slightly apart from them.
Queen Dowager Mara.
She appeared to be in her late sixties, with silver hair neatly gathered behind her head and a calm, dignified face that carried the quiet authority of someone who had spent decades within the royal palace.
She wore a long ivory gown decorated with delicate golden embroidery, while a simple golden crown rested upon her silver hair.
Unlike the others, Mara wasn't staring at Aria's clothes.
Her eyes were fixed on the golden strands in Aria's hair.
There was something strange about her expression.
Not surprise.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
Aria noticed it immediately.
The old woman's gaze remained on her for several seconds before she finally looked away.
Aria couldn't explain it, but something about Queen Dowager Mara made her feel as though the woman already knew exactly why she was there.
Something was being left unsaid.
And she intended to find out what it was.
The King finally spoke.
"Aria, there is much you need to learn about what happened today."
Aria straightened.
"I'm listening."
The King looked toward Adrian.
Then back at her.
"Ignara has chosen you as the bride of the future King of Valmyr."
Aria's heart began beating faster.
She already knew what the tradition meant.
But hearing it spoken aloud inside the royal palace made it feel frighteningly real.
The King continued.
"However, this is not a decision that can be forced upon my son."
Aria's eyes shifted toward Adrian.
He remained silent.
"He has the right to accept or reject the choice."
The room fell silent.
Aria suddenly realized something.
For the first time since Ignara had chosen her, she understood that the future everyone was speaking about wasn't guaranteed.
Adrian could say no.
And if he did...
She had no idea what would happen next.
But to her, it would be better if he rejected the proposal.
Aria couldn't see Adrian properly from where she stood, and she wasn't sure she wanted to.
All she wanted was to go back to her old university life, which had been interrupted only a few hours ago.
She knew very well that if Adrian accepted, her life as a student was over.
"Take her to the guest quarters," Queen Elena said, pointing toward some maids standing at the corner. "Get her everything she needs to stay for the night."
"Yes, Ma'am," the maids replied.
They escorted Aria out of the room.
"Shut the doors," King Darian ordered.
The remaining maids and guards went outside, closed the doors, and stood guard in front of them.
This left only the royal family and the leader of the Ashern Circle inside.
"Adrian, I would want your honest reaction or decision about this," King Darian said.
Adrian remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"Well, Father, I'm sure you already know what my answer will be. She's a stranger to me, just as I am to her. I'll never want us to be chained in a relationship that wasn't planned."
He spoke calmly, but his decision was clear.
The room fell silent.
Everyone waited for the King's response.