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The queen takes a moment to collect herself before calling for Nysleon, who appeared beside her immediately.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Where is the child?” she asks, an edge still prominent in her voice that Nysleon can easily sense, even though she has buried it deep to appear neutral.

“Noorani the healer was called as soon as the child arrived. She is treating her in the first chamber of the eastern wing, per the king’s request.”

“I wish to see the child once she is done. Let Noorani know. And tell her to give the child something that helps with slumber if she has not already. She must be shaken.”

Nysleon nods once. “Of course. Do you wish to see the prince in the meantime?”

“What is he doing?”

“He took a bath and demanded a feast as soon as he was done. So I suppose he is still eating.”

The queen raised an eyebrow. “Zir demanded a feast? The wain who barely touches his food?” Then, as the answer came to her even as she asked it, she shook her head. “Nevermind. Inane of me to ask. Of course he did. After using his newly sprouted magical abilities, he must be famished.”

“Shall I take you to him?”

“No. Let him eat uninterrupted and rest. I will see him this evening.” Nysleon bows and leaves at once to deliver the message to the healer.

Luminara blends into the warm woollen laycloth of the bed when the healer finally leaves her in solitude. She stares at the canopy absentmindedly as the thoughts that had been a hassle earlier finally begin to quiet.

She does not recall much of what happened after the prince rescued her. Only fragments. Her panting and her hammering heart as she rushed through the hall trying to get hold of any weapon, anything to save herself from what was coming. The savage satisfaction on the Draumfell heir’s face as he commanded that the first five to strip and force themselves on this recently orphaned child would win a portion of the estate’s treasure and the chance to marry her — if they found her of any value after the said activity. The greed and lust on the faces of every single one of those barbarians as they frenzied after the eleven year old. How she had luckily found the grappling hook and rope that helped her aim for the chandelier and climb with everything she had. She had not known she could climb that fast. She supposed the ability had been hidden by Demiurge to surface on a day of doom exactly like this. She remembered the cutting rage on the prince’s face as he swore retribution to Skarde Draumfell. Had Zir meant it? Or had it been the heat of the moment? She had been left wondering.

Not for long, as a knock came at the door. She lurched for anything within reach that could serve as a weapon.

“Do not be afraid. It is me, child. The queen.” A beautifully melodic but firm voice came from the other side of the door in a way that made it seem as though its source was already in the room with her. As though she had already seen her reaching frantically for something.

“May I come in?” she asked gently.

A soft affirmative slipped from Luminara’s lips after a moment of silence.

The doors opened slowly and the queen walked in. Radiant as day, even in the dim lamplight of the room. She had the most beautiful golden curls flowing halfway down her tall stature. Her almond-shaped eyes were a striking golden yellow that immediately put Luminara at ease with the calm they seemed to carry. The luscious maroon lips seemed to mirror Zir’s. The queen was naturally beautiful in the most regal sense, with her high cheekbones — like she had been born to be exactly what she was. She wore a golden and silver-lined satin-silk gown with heavy pleats, the kind Luminara had always imagined having made for her own mother someday. A heaviness touched her chest at the thought, and it seemed like the queen saw straight through it. Because she turned and told the two ladies in waiting flanking her to wait outside. They nodded and left, pulling the large oakwood doors closed behind them.

Luminara gave a half bow from the bed, mindful of her injured leg — a gash on her thigh from the chandelier icicle before she had climbed up to it. The queen simply smiled and settled beside her.

“So you are the friend Zir would not stop talking about when he came back from the carnival last year?” Lena asked with a gentleness Luminara had not been sure, until today, that royals were capable of. Except the prince, of course. He had always been kind to her.

“Yes. My name is Luminara, your Majesty.” She answered with a visible trace of hesitation.

“You have a remarkably exquisite name. I think it signifies that you are meant for a greater purpose in this world.”

She managed a small smile. “Thank you, your Majesty.”

“You do not have to smile at me if you do not want to. Ever. Though I am certain your genuine smile would be a delight to witness.”

Luminara freezes momentarily at the warmth and kindness extended to a lowborn like her. They had always expected royals to be smug and unfeeling. And again, as though she could read the child effortlessly, Lena took her tiny hand inside her own with a comforting stroke.

“Since you are a friend of Zir, you can stay here as long as you would like. Even if it is forever. The palace will always have this chamber lit up for you.”

“Thank you, your Maj—” Luminara’s raspy little voice broke even on those few words as a tear escaped, then another. And before she knew it she was bawling. But the ugliness of the day had long subsided, because through her falling tears she realised she was in the warm embrace of a mother. Not her own, but someone’s mother. Not just a queen. Comforting hands patted her back and head as she sobbed through the painful memories of the past two days.

Moments passed, and before she noticed she had stopped. She felt lighter already. Considerably better. As she broke the embrace and met the queen’s eyes, a small smile appeared on both their faces at the same moment.

“I did not give birth to you. But as of today I will always consider and treat you as my own child.” Lena said, and gently pressed a kiss to the child’s forehead. A kiss that healed a larger part of the pain than either of them realised — the kind the child would otherwise have suppressed and carried growing up, without ever knowing it was there.

Luminara did not answer. But the small smile from earlier had stretched into something much longer and entirely genuine.

The queen asked her ladies in waiting to bring a feast for the child afterwards, and fed her herself. She put her to sleep right after.

Kiev had nearly dozed off on the maroon velvet chaise in their bedchamber after several glasses of wine when he felt a hand caress his cheek gently. He looked up to find Lena standing over him.

“My love, sit with me.” He said, straightening, and she did. Despite being half-drunk he could read the anxious expression on her face immediately.

“Why do you worry? Is something the matter?” he asked, wide-eyed and fully alert now.

“The prophecy has come true,” she replied, and Kiev’s eyebrow rose immediately.

“The prophecy? Which one?”

Lena did not answer directly. “How could we have missed such an important detail?”

“Relax. Which one?”

“The birth of the moon-blessed child.”

“The birth—” He stopped himself halfway, eyes showing clearly how staggered he was.

“Luminara?” he asked carefully.

“Of course it is her, Kiev. She is only eleven and has already lived through the twin catastrophic events the prophecy describes. That means in the coming two decades there is a strong likelihood of war.”

He exhaled deeply, sitting with the weight of it. Moments passed before he spoke.

“It will be all right. I will meet with Evan first thing tomorrow, then the Council. We will prepare accordingly. This is not the first time ruling has asked something difficult of us.”

“About that — please do not let anyone other than Evan learn of Luminara’s identity. The child has been through enough. If people find out what she is, they will never treat her the same. Some may come for her blood.”

He nodded solemnly. “I promise. But only until the next decade. We will have Hinjk train her in the meantime. She will learn to defend herself and explore the depth of her abilities.”

She nodded, relieved. “I will tell her to keep this to herself until then. She is a bright child. She will listen.”

He caressed her head gently. “Of course she will. Why would she not? You are the greatest mother a child could ask for.”

She swallowed the praise quietly and moved the conversation forward. “I found out just after putting her to bed. I was leaving when I saw a glowing light emerging from the centre of her chest. I followed it outside and found it was perfectly aligned with the twin moons’ rays.”

“Extraordinary,” he said softly.

The king wrapped an arm around his beloved, and together they gazed silently at the twin moons, radiant in their full glory.