"How did he meet with you, dear?" Elena inquired, her voice soft yet carrying the weight of authority that only a queen could wield.
Reina, stood before her, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.
Her eyes, a reflection of her uncertainty, flickered briefly towards Matthew, the trusted advisor who stood nearby, before returning to meet Elena's gaze.
"I... It was an arranged marriage, Your Majesty," Reina began tentatively, her voice barely above a whisper.
"No, dear, it is mother.. please call me Mother," Elena interjected gently, reaching out to hold Reina's hand in a gesture that bridged the formalities of their titles.
"Mother..." Reina responded, her voice catching with emotion as she uttered the endearment.
The word held a weight of longing and acceptance, of finding a maternal figure she had missed since leaving her Ian homeland months ago.
