The next morning arrived with a muted sense of foreboding. Today was the first of what promised to be a long parade of noble daughters, each presented as a potential queen. It was a necessary, if tedious, duty—an expected step for any king. But after yesterday's brief freedom, the prospect of meeting a stranger and assessing her suitability for a life spent in the castle felt stifling.
I was informed that my first guest was named Lady Eveline Davinshire, the daughter of Duke Arlin Davinshire. The Davinshire family was among the oldest and most influential noble houses in our kingdom, their lands vast and prosperous. From what I had gathered, she was a woman of poise and intellect, known for her skill with courtly diplomacy. But that knowledge hardly prepared me for the reality of spending an entire day by her side.
