Altheris felt unnaturally silent, as if even the walls were holding their breath. The king moved through the corridors slowly, each step heavier than the last. When he reached the chamber, he froze at the doorway.
His queen lay still on the bed where fate had taken her, and beside her, Seraphina knelt, crying so hard her small shoulders shook. When the king saw his daughter like that, something inside him cracked.
He walked in and lifted her gently, pulling her into his arms.
"I'm here," he whispered, even though his own voice wavered.
Seraphina clung to him, her face buried in his clothes. After a long moment, he turned his eyes back to his wife-his brave queen.
Her emotions took her away, but he would not let the same happen to his daughter. He held Seraphina tighter, silently making a vow: he would protect her, no matter what.
When the palace officials arrived, they carefully arranged the queen's body. By midday, she was moved to the Hall of Echoes, where she would lie in state as tradition demanded. She was placed upon a moonstone pedestal, dressed in soft silvers and whites, her hands folded peacefully. The amulet she once carried rested against Seraphina's chest, its glow dimmed to a faint, pulsing ember-as if it, too, was grieving. Each flicker was soft and slow, like a heartbeat weighed down by sorrow.
Candles surrounded Ismira, their flames flickering gently like mourning spirits. Citizens came in quiet waves-bowing, praying, whispering goodbyes. As the palace officials prepared to carry the queen's body toward the Moonlit Garden, the king held Seraphina close, her small frame trembling against his body.
And then - as if summoned by the grief itself - a figure appeared at the edge of the room. A young man, cloaked in shadow, standing silently in the doorway. Neither the king nor Seraphina were able to recognize him.
Kael's eyes flicked briefly to the queen's still form, then to Seraphina, his gaze calm but piercing. He said nothing, he did not move closer. He simply stood there, a quiet presence in the room, staring at Seraphina and the pendant around her neck. The amulet pulsed - a deep, slow heartbeat.
The king's eyes narrowed, awe and sudden recognition mixing in his expression. "Who... are you?" he finally managed to ask, though his voice was low, hesitant, almost reverent.
Kael took a step forward, his voice calm and deliberate:
"I am Kael."
The king froze. The name struck a chord deep in his memory - memories of his wife speaking of a promise that someone would appear when the time came. This must be him. This Kael was the one Ismira had spoken of.
Kael said nothing more. He remained still, eyes fixed on Seraphina and the amulet, his presence alone carrying weight - a silent reminder that the girl would not face the power of the amulet unprepared.
The amulet pulsed once more, sharper this time, as if acknowledging Kael's understanding of it. Seraphina shivered, unaware that a new force had entered her life: one who would teach her how to guide her emotions and master the amulet's heart.
It was then they were brought back to reality when the royal guards lifted the queen, carrying her to the place she had chosen long ago:
the Garden of Quiet Blooms.
Hidden behind the palace, the garden shimmered softly with rare flowers that glowed beneath moonlight. The queen had always loved this place-its peace, its wild beauty, its sense of eternity.
A special circle at the center had been prepared, surrounded by silver-leafed trees. The queen was lowered into the earth with care, petals falling like gentle snow around her. As the soil covered her, the amulet's faint glow shivered once, a final trembling farewell.
The king placed the final flower-white with soft crimson streaks-on the soil.
"This is not goodbye," he murmured. "Just rest... until the world is kind again."
A warm breeze drifted through the garden, brushing past Seraphina's face as if her mother was passing by one last time.
And then the night settled quietly around them.