"Grandpa, you took so long to meet me," Roman stated, his voice small but without any hint of resentment.
Henry pulled away slightly, cupping the boy's face in his weathered hands. "Forgive me for that, Roman. You have grown so tall," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
"Really?" Roman's face lit up with a bright smile. "I think that's because Mama makes sure I drink milk every day. She says it makes my bones strong like a knight's."
The sheer brightness on the boy's face brought a sudden, unexpected peace to Henry's heart. Looking at his grandson, he realized that Eilika had truly stepped into the void, providing a mother's love so deep and genuine that it felt as though she had been there from the start. It was a warmth he hadn't expected to find in a palace he once associated only with grief.
"Grandpa, my father is marrying my mama tomorrow in an official ceremony," Roman added proudly, puffing out his chest. "And I am going to be the ring bearer!"
