For the first time since Arion had entered the throne hall, Queen Selene rose slowly from her silver throne.
The entire chamber fell silent.
Even the royal guardians, who rarely showed emotion, watched the queen carefully. Her long cloak shimmered like flowing moonlight as she stepped down from the throne and walked toward Arion.
Arion remained standing in the center of the hall. He had already spoken his answer clearly.
He had chosen Aarohi.
For a moment, no one said anything. The tension in the room was thick enough to feel in the air.
Finally, Queen Selene spoke.
"You remind me of someone," she said quietly.
Arion frowned slightly. "Who?"
The queen stopped only a few steps away from him. For the first time, her expression looked less like that of a ruler and more like that of someone remembering a distant past.
"Me," she answered.
A soft murmur passed through the hall.
Arion looked surprised.
"Many centuries ago," the queen continued, "before I became the ruler of Lunaris, I once visited the human world."
Her voice carried a rare softness now.
"And there… I met someone."
The guardians exchanged shocked glances. None of them had ever heard this story before.
"A human," the queen said.
Arion listened carefully.
"He was brave and kind, even though he possessed no magic at all. For many years, I returned to Earth secretly just to see him."
Arion could almost imagine the scene.
"But one day," Queen Selene continued slowly, "I was forced to choose. Lunaris needed a ruler. My duty demanded that I stay."
"And the human?" Arion asked quietly.
The queen's eyes looked distant.
"I never saw him again."
A deep silence filled the throne hall.
"For centuries," she continued, "I wondered what would have happened if I had chosen differently."
She finally looked directly into Arion's eyes.
"You chose love without hesitation."
Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of admiration in it.
"That is why you have passed the final trial."
The hall erupted in whispers.
Arion blinked in surprise.
"You mean…"
"Yes," Queen Selene said.
"You have proven something far more powerful than magic."
She raised her hand slowly.
"A heart that refuses to abandon love."