Scene: Late afternoon in the Empress’s private garden. The sun is setting, casting a golden glow across the marble floor and blooming roses.

Prince Lucas steps quietly through the tall glass doors, holding a neatly closed book against his chest. His golden hair catches the last light of day, and his shoes make barely a sound against the polished stone. He finds the Empress seated beneath the arbor, surrounded by soft cushions and scrolls of royal documents.

He stops a few steps away and bows slightly, his voice gentle:

"Mother Empress… I have completed my lessons for today. May I sit by your side for a while?"

There’s a small flicker of hesitation in his amber eyes—not from fear, but from longing. Longing to be near the only person who made the cold palace feel like home.