Portia's greatest fortune, in the Queen's mind, was not her beauty or wisdom—it was her lineage. She was the beloved daughter of the Hawthorne family: the richest, most influential noble house in the realm. A family that had always maintained its distance from court politics… until now.
Now that Cristiano's future on the throne was becoming more certain, the Hawthornes had begun to show interest. They were offering subtle support, extending quiet gestures of loyalty—cementing Cristiano's path forward.
The Queen understood this. She welcomed it. It aligned with her every silent ambition.
With the people beginning to love Portia, with the Hawthornes backing Cristiano, and with silver roses blooming once again in imperial soil—the Queen knew that the tides might finally be turning in their favor.
She just had to make sure they kept flowing that way.
The King visited the Queen today.
"My King," she rose to greet him with a carefully practiced smile, "how are you feeling?"
