Seraphina and Elena sat around the heart, the fire casting shadows along the room. Seraphina's emotions bubbled beneath the surface after another tense encounter. She hadn't spoken much since returning to the gardens, still trying to process her own feelings. Elena continues to watch her quietly for a moment, cross stitching a Phoenix with the light from the fire.

"You've looked stressed for the last fifteen minutes. Is something bothering you?" She said calmly. In the short time that they've known each other, they've become friends and confidants. Seraphina faces her, but she hesitates before saying anything. Her heart tangled in feelings she was not yet ready to admit. Heat rises to her cheeks as she thinks about the moment with the king, the way his warm skin felt against her hand. The way he let her in. She shouldn't feel this way about this man, but yet she does.

"It's about the king, isn't it?" Elena asked, breaking Seraphina's concentration on her thoughts. She glances away, looking out the window, her brow furrowing. Her gentle question breaks through her defenses, and she leans against velvet chair.

"He's... not what I expected," Seraphina admitted. Elena eyebrows raised, and her curiosity piqued.

"In a good way or a bad way?" She asked, setting down her craft and giving Seraphina her undivided attention. Seraphina presses her lips together, recalling everything that has happened - mostly, the harsh demands and the threats. However, there were moments when she saw the man behind the crown.

"Both, he can be so cold; so focused on the curse and his kingdom. It feels like nothing else matters to him," Seraphina started. Elena face soured for a moment.

"So the stories tell," she interjected.

"I know... but then," she trails off for a moment, pondering her words, "I see something else. A man who's struggling, who's desperate, who's..."

"Vulnerable?" She asks. Seraphina nods, her mind returning in the gardens with Caelum. The way Caelum spoke of his father, the weight he has been carrying, has left Seraphina feeling conflicted.

"He hides it well. Underneath all that power, he is terrified. Terrified to die like his father. I understand him more than I thought I ever would," Elena shifts her position on the hearth, watching Seraphina closely, her craft long forgotten.

"King Edric died of the same curse?" Elena eyes widened at her realization, "is that why you're conflicted?"

"Yes, but it's more than that," Seraphina ran her hand through her coils, her fingers getting caught in a few tangles, "I shouldn't feel anything for this man but hatred. Not after everything he's done. But... I can't help but see past all that now. I see someone who has been hurt, someone who was so scared he lost himself in the process."

Elena remains quiet, allowing Seraphina to speak freely, though her expression is one of understanding.

"I don't want to care about him, but after tonight... I don't know, it's like I'm somehow drawn to him in a way I don't understand," Seraphina puts her head in her hands. Elena smiles, resting her hand on her shoulder.

"Feelings don't always make sense, Seraphina. You've been forced into a situation that, honestly, neither of you wanted. Maybe that's why you have a connection. I think that the gods have a plan for us. Maybe this is Aurelia's plan for you," Seraphina brow furrows at her words and stands quickly, walking towards the window. She looks out at the vast royal grounds, her window in perfect view of the orchard; though the stump was hidden by the trees. Her mind replayed her encounters with Caelum - the arguments, the tension, but also the quiet moments, like the way he looked at her.

"What if these feelings are just because of the curse? That this... this obligation is all this is?" Seraphina asked. Elena rose from the heart, walking over to Seraphina, gazing out the window with her.

"If that's all this is, you wouldn't be so torn," Elena simple words cut deep at Seraphina's heart, knowing she was right. Elena squeezes her arm gently and offers her a comforting smile.

"Thank you, Elena," Seraphina hugged her, "I think I need to get some rest."

"You should. There's a big day tomorrow, Elena said, "or so I've heard. Some ambassadors are supposed to be coming to the palace."

"Why for?"

"I'm not sure. People don't really tell me stuff," Elena laughed, "goodnight."

"Goodnight," though Seraphina did not get much sleep that night. She kept thinking about the reasons for their visit and her growing feelings for Caelum. Though, after a little while, she slowly drifted to sleep.

~~~~~~~

Elena had dressed Seraphina in a purple gown with a leather bound corset over it and had even added some of the royal jewelry to her body. According to Elena, the outfit was a specific request of Caelum.

As soon as she had left the room, the palace was a buzz of activity. Craftsmen, florists, and tailors bustled through the halls, assessing the best to set the area for the wedding. She glanced at the window to see carriages bring let through the gates.

"Who are they?" She asked one of the guards, standing near a doorway.

"Noble families and dignitaries from our kingdom and others," he stated, standing perfectly upright.

Suddenly, Seraphina is reminded of the weight of her role due to the curse being kept secret. Today, she was no longer a healer used to cure a curse. She was the woman Caelum decided to marry and crown queen. She watches as royal couriers welcome the arriving guests, her heart pounding in her ear.

"Seraphina," Caelum voices rings behind her, "there will be a welcoming lunch in a few hours in the grand dining hall. I'm going to ask Elena to take you to the library and teach you royal etiquette. Do the best that you can and remember we are in love, I am not cursed."

Before she could even respond, he was racing down the hallway towards the entrance of the building. It almost looked like he looked better, that the curse's grip was loosening. 

Elena stood in the library holding a stack of etiquette books, her face confused but determined. The warm glow of the morning light casting through the large windows. They were in a smaller part of the library, a specific room for the lessons and preparation of royal children. Seraphina stood awkwardly, staring at her reflection in the floor-length mirror.

"I feel like a child playing rather than a future queen," Seraphina admits, her hands smoothing the gown.

"You'll get used to it! The most important thing is your confidence, holding your chin high, and your steps must be deliberate. Every moment matters, especially in front of the court," Elena said seriously. Seraphina takes a deep breath, looking around the room like it is a battlefield. She takes a step forward, and her foot catches on her gown. She stumbles quickly and straightens herself with a blush.

"I'm a healer, Elena, not a dancer. I don't see how any of this matters - the posture, the steps to the dance - all this fuss won't make me a better queen.

"I know it seems ridiculous, but this is the nobility. If they were ridiculous, they would probably get really bored," Elena laughed, "regardless, they're going to judge your every move. One improper glance, one improper gesture, and they'll seize upon it like wolves. As Caelum said, your actions must prove you belong here."

"I will never be one of them," Seraphina spat.

"You will in time. They may have titles and blue blood, but none of them can do what you do," Elena gave a reassuring smile.

"Healing is different, it's something I was born and blessed to do," she stares at herself in the mirror again, "this feels like pretending."

"Maybe it is, but every queen has to play the part sometime. Now... it's almost time for the dinner," she gives a half smile. Seraphina can't blame her. She doesn't feel confident either.

"What if I don't do well?" Seraphina asked.

"Well, Caelum isn't well liked to begin with..." She begins, "it would probably make the kingdom more ostracized than we already are. If that's even possible."

The nobility of neighboring kingdoms feared Caelum; most did due to his military prowess, others for the rumors that surrounded him.

"Let's try again, this time remember, you're the future queen of Virelda, whether they like it or not," Elena said.

Virelda was a powerful and ancient realm in the concord. Known for the towering castle, vast mystical forests, and skilled warriors. The prosperity of the kingdom is tied to its deep-rooted traditions of their people and the devotion of their clerics.

Seraphina took in a deep breath, and this time held her head high. She glided across the floor, the epitome of grace.

"How's that?" Seraphina smiled.

"Much better. If you ever get overwhelmed tonight, remember that I am there," Elena grinned, "as your lady-in-waiting, I will be there to remind you of everyone's titles. The last thing we need is for you to accidentally offend someone."

"My lady-in-waiting?" Seraphina looked confused.

"I am here to help you as part of your court. I'm not a royal, though, so I'm sure after your coronation, you will be assigned someone with a title," her voice was a little sad.

"No. I don't want someone else," Seraphina brow furrowed, and Elena was slightly surprised.

"It's not appropriate for the queen to be waiting on by someone like me. It's proper for a noble to take my place," Elena explained, her voice sad.

"Then I will give you a title as my first act as queen," Seraphina stated. Elena was touched, and right before she went to respond to the door to room, it opened. Within the doorway was a royal courier and a few guards that looked expectantly at Seraphina.

"The celebration dinner and ball is about to commence," the courier said, "the king requests your presence before the dinner."

Seraphina's heart pounded as she immediately forgot all of the preparation that Elena and her had done.

"Let's not keep him waiting," Elena smiled, motioning for the door, "I'm right behind you."