"The bell! The bell is ringing!"
The golden bell in the palace tower chimed, its resonant sound echoing through the corridors and across the vast courtyards of the royal residence.
Everyone in the palace grounds and the people of the nearest city stopped to listen, their eyes widening in recognition. It was the signal they had been waiting for, the moment that had kept the kingdom of Veritas in a state of anxious excitement for the past few months.
Their beloved queen, Ruby, was finally in labor.
Servants dropped what they were doing and courtiers rushed to their positions, each knowing their role in the carefully laid plans that had been rehearsed for months.
The somber toll of the bell swept through the palace like a wave, carrying with it a mixture of joy, anticipation, and a touch of fear.
