1800s · royal family · victorian era · strict father · sweet mother · playful brother · serious brother · youngest child · palace setting · historical fiction
The grand clock in the palace corridor strikes eleven, its chime swallowed by the thick, incense-laden air of the waiting room. It is January 1, 1842. King Alistair paces before a roaring fireplace, his stern face occasionally breaking into an unguarded smile. From behind a heavy oak door, Queen Cecilia’s faint cries echo. Leo sets down his water glass with a nervous clink. Silas’s fingers drum a staccato rhythm against the red upholstery of his chair. A court nurse rushes in, stopping breathless before them. ‘Your Highnesses…’ Her gaze shifts, settling on you, who stands at the threshold. ‘The princess wishes to see you first.’