Chapter 579: Chapter 579
Eleven years later.
The palace was still asleep when Circe opened her eyes.
For a few moments she remained where she was, staring up at the canopy above the bed while darkness lingered beyond the windows. The castle had always been quieter before dawn. Even as a child she had loved these hours, when the halls stood empty and the world seemed suspended in time.
Today felt different.
Today Westeria would have a king again.
Sleep had abandoned her long before the first hint of sunrise appeared on the horizon. Carefully, she slipped from beneath the covers, making sure not to disturb Ragnar. He remained asleep beside her, one arm stretched across the mattress where she had been moments earlier.
A faint smile touched her lips at the sight.
There had been a time when the sight of him would have stirred only resentment. Now, after everything they had endured together, looking at him only brought her joy and peace.
She pulled a robe over her nightgown before leaving the room.
The halls beyond were dimly lit by wall sconces. Her footsteps echoed softly as she walked.
The castle was both familiar and unfamiliar.
When she was a girl, these halls had been filled with memories of her family. Then the invasion came. War had swept through Westeria, leaving much of the castle in ruins.
More than a decade had passed since then.
A decade since she had been taken from her homeland and married to a Lamoran prince as part of Nheera’s political machinations.
At the time, people believed the arrangement would be nothing more than another reminder of Westeria’s defeat.
Yet history had unfolded differently.
Lamoran forces had long withdrawn from Westerian territory. Authority had been returned to local officials. Trade restrictions had been lifted. The kingdom had slowly regained the right to govern itself.
A regent had ruled in the meantime, carefully selected with Circe’s support and trusted by both kingdoms.
Eleven years of rebuilding towns, institutions, and trust. It had not been easy.
There had been anger on both sides. Grief that would never fully disappear. Families that still carried the scars of war. Yet diplomacy, patience, and compromise had achieved what swords never could.
Lamora and Westeria were allies now. People could cross their borders freely.
Merchants now traveled between both kingdoms without fear ever since Ragnar made Lamora much safer for them and other human migrants.
Children born in that time had grown up knowing peace rather than the consequences of war.
As Circe continued on her way, her hand brushed lightly against a stone wall.
The castle had been rebuilt since then and now her brother would inherit it.
The thought filled her with pride and a quiet sort of melancholy.
She was born Westerian. But today she walked these halls not as a princess of Westeria, but as the wife of Lamora’s king.
A guest in the home where she had once belonged. The realization no longer hurt.
It had taken her mother just as long to come to terms with Torben’s death and his betrayal. Thalora had been deeply devastated by what happened, but like Westeria itself, she had eventually healed and moved forward.
Eventually she reached Rowen’s chambers.
She knocked softly before pushing the door open.
Her brother stood near a tall window overlooking the grounds below.
The first pale light of dawn spilled across the room.
He wore only a simple tunic and loose trousers, yet tension radiated from every line of his body.
He turned at the sound of the door opening.
Before he could speak, Circe crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him.
For a second he seemed startled by the contact then he hugged her back tightly.
She felt the tension in his shoulders and understood immediately.
Beneath all his preparation and training, he was still a young man about to carry an entire kingdom on his shoulders.
When she finally pulled back, she rested her hands on his arms.
"You’re going to be a good king, Rowen. Better than Father and all the kings that came before him. You will be the greatest in Westeria’s long history."
A faint laugh escaped him.
"That’s quite a burden to place on me before breakfast." He said.
"I have every confidence you’ll manage it."
His smile faded slightly a second later. "What if I don’t?"
"You will." Circe said, willing him to hear the certainty in her tone. It left little room for argument.
She studied his face, noting how much he had changed.
Gone was the frightened boy who had arrived at the Lamoran palace years ago.
Five years ago, at only fifteen, he made a choice many adults would have lacked the courage to make. He had left the comfort and security of Lamora and returned to Westeria because he believed it was necessary. He had spent years among their people, relearning their customs.
While others his age worried about ordinary things, Rowen had immersed himself in politics, diplomacy, governance, military strategy, and leadership.
Every decision had prepared him for this day. Every sacrifice. Every lesson. Every mistake he made along the way.
The man standing before her had earned the throne waiting for him.
As if sensing her thoughts, Rowen sighed.
"You know, you would have made a good ruler."
"I’ve heard this argument before." Circe raised an eyebrow, already knowing where he was going with this.
"You should have accepted when Ragnar offered to name you queen regnant."
But she was already shaking her head. A small smile appeared on her lips. "Our people would never fully accept me."
"They would."
"No, they wouldn’t."
Rowen opened his mouth to argue but Circe stopped him with a gentle look.
"I have Westerian blood. No one can take that from me. But I am also Ragnar’s wife. I am the mother of his children. Many people will always see me as Lamoran."
"That’s not fair."
"Perhaps not. But it is understandable." She moved toward the window and looked out over the awakening city. "After everything this kingdom endured, our people deserve someone they trust completely. Someone whose loyalty they’ll never question."
She looked back at him. "That person is you. I don’t resent them for it," she continued quietly. "I never have and I am more than content with my life as the queen of Lamora."
