Elara stood before the mirror, gazing at herself in the gown that now clung to her form. The blue was exquisite, a hue that seemed to shimmer between light and dark, neither too pale nor too deep. It was a perfect shade, like the twilight sky just before dusk. Crystal blue stones adorned the fabric, catching the light and reflecting it in a dazzling display. The dress was stunning, a masterpiece that shimmered with elegance and grace.
It was a gown, just like the many others she wore . Expensive, luxurious, and beautiful in its own way. But this one... this one felt different. Something about the colors , the design, the way the fabric draped her body... It reminded her of something else, someone else.
'Blue suits you. But not any kind of blue.'The deep voice echoed in her mind, bringing with it a rush of memories she had long tried to push aside. 'Blue and silver go very well with each other,' she had responded, a dazzling smile on her lips.
'No, they were meant for each other,' he had corrected, the words laced with that familiar confidence, that unwavering belief in destiny. 'Dream big,' he would always say. He had never feared failure because he never saw the word "impossible" as part of his vocabulary. He believed in achieving the unattainable, and for that, she admired him.
A sudden voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her back into the present moment.
"Your Majesty, is everything alright?" Gina asked, her soft voice filled with concern.
Elara blinked her silver eyes, momentarily lost in her memories. "Yes," she replied, but her voice cracked slightly. She cleared her throat, trying again. "Yes, it's just the dress..."
"It looks stunning on you, Your Majesty," Nancy added, her eyes bright with admiration.
"It is stunning," Elara agreed, her gaze drifting back to the reflection in the mirror. The gown fit her perfectly, but it was more than just the fabric—it was the feeling it evoked. She felt something stir within her, something that felt like both hope and sorrow.
As Gina applied the jewelry to her, Elara couldn't tear her eyes away from herself. She was finally starting to accept the woman she saw in the mirror, the queen she had become. But suddenly, she felt a hand on her bracelet, and without thinking, she swatted it away, a surge of fury rising within her chest.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I thought you might want to change some jewelry," Gina apologized quickly, her tone filled with remorse.
"No. Not this one," Elara said firmly, her voice tight with emotion. "This remains on my body until... until I die."
The words hung in the air as Elara stood up, taking a deep breath to steady herself. What she wanted to say, what she truly felt, was that the bracelet gave her hope, comfort, and a connection to something—or someone—she could no longer have. But she didn't say that. Instead, she allowed herself to feel the weight of the jewelry and the memories it carried with it.
As she left the room with her handmaids and guards, a question lingered in her mind. She turned to one of the guards beside her.
"Where is Given?" she asked, her voice calm but curious.
"Your right hand, Your Majesty? He is with Princess Evelyn, but you are to meet him as well, after meeting with the Queen Mother," the guard informed her.
The mention of Evelyn caught her off guard. Given and Evelyn? Elara thought. Were they close? She had often seen Given with Lyric, but Evelyn was a new dynamic. She didn't have the chance to question it further, for her duties called. She simply nodded and kept walking, her mind turning over the thoughts of Lyric.
As the mention of Lyric echoed in her thoughts, Elara made a mental note to find her after the day's duties were done. She had buried the thought of children long ago. Why? She didn't remember giving birth to three children. But what she did remember was being the Queen—and that was something she was determined to accept, no matter the cost.
The dress, the jewelry, the weight of the title—everything now seemed to remind her of the life she had inherited, and the future she had yet to shape.