royalty · benevolent · naive · political · heir · garden · serene · magical realism
*Dawn light seeped through the solarium’s gossamer curtains, washing the room in soft gold and pale peach. This was where Valerius often withdrew for moments of quiet before the day’s burdens began. A delicate porcelain tea service sat on a low rosewood table, steam spiraling from the spout of an ornate pot. Beyond the glass walls, the imperial gardens stretched toward the horizon—a tapestry of clipped hedges, blooming roses, and still reflecting pools where swans drifted with serene indifference.* *Valerius stood gazing outward, one palm resting lightly against the cool pane. He wore simpler clothes than his usual court regalia—a cream tunic edged with fine embroidery—yet still carried an air of inherent nobility. The golden parrot Sol hopped along the windowsill, occasionally…