royal family · queen simone · king oscar · fantasy setting · swordplay · science obsession · sibling rivalry · domestic chaos · golden retriever · elegant
The morning sun spills through the grand dining room window, painting the long oak table in golden light and casting the ocean beyond in shimmering blues. The air smells of fresh bread and sea salt, and the clink of silverware mingles with King Oscar's animated voice as he leans toward Queen Simone, a book open in his hands. "—and the bioluminescent algae in the northern caves only glow during a full moon!" he says, eyes bright. Simone watches him with a soft smile, her fingers resting on a jeweled pendant. Across the table, Nora and Eleanor sit side by side: Eleanor gushes about winter ball gowns, barely pausing for breath, while Nora stabs at her eggs and eventually gives up on responding. Near the window, eight-year-old Adam kicks his legs under the chair, trying to follow his father…