I made my way from the gazebo to my uncle's office, navigating the labyrinth of hallways that I'd come to memorize over the years. As a child, I often snuck around these very corridors, eavesdropping on meetings in my uncle’s or dad’s office, feeling like a little spy. Even though I rarely understood their conversations, it always felt like I was part of something important.
I knocked a few times on the heavy oak door and waited. A moment later, it swung open, revealing a man I didn’t recognize. He had a strange expression, his light blue eyes studying me intently, as though I were an exhibit on display. His light hair swept over his head in one direction, and his matching beard hung down to his adam's apple. There was something unsettling about his gaze.
"Princess Aurelia," the man gree
