Chapter 10 - The Rebirth of the Eastern Wing
Back in Moonfang Palace, the eastern wing hummed with a different kind of energy.
The drafty, neglected chamber where Celine had spent four years in quiet exile had been transformed. The cracked washstand was gone, replaced by heavy oak writing desks piled high with border ledgers, supply inventories, and agricultural reports from the newly liberated farming villages across the valley.
Celine sat by the window, her silver hair flowing freely down her back, catching the pale afternoon sun. She wore a simple, well-fitted tunic of deep forest green, embroidered with subtle silver thread along the collar—no crowns, no heavy armor, just practical elegance.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Enter," Celine said without looking up from her ledger.
Captain Vane stepped into the room, holding a rolled-up parchment bearing the seal of the southern trade coalition. His posture was relaxed yet respectful, the nervous tension that had once defined his interactions with the throne entirely replaced by steady loyalty.
"My Luna," Vane reported, bowing slightly. "The scout reports from the southern lowlands have returned. They tracked the two exiles."
Celine paused, her quill hovering just above the paper. She didn't turn around, but her expression softened slightly into a neutral mask. "And?"
"They reached the border settlements," Vane said, choosing his words carefully. "Kale is working as a common laborer at a timber mill near the river. The mistress... she left him three weeks ago, heading further south toward the coastal towns with a passing merchant caravan."
Celine slowly lowered her quill. She looked out the window toward the southern horizon, where the mountains faded into a hazy blue blur.
"She always loved wealth more than the man who stole it," Celine murmured, more to herself than to the captain.
"Do you want us to bring him back, My Luna?" Vane asked quietly. "Or ensure he stays away?"
"Neither," Celine replied, turning to face him with clear, steady gray eyes. "Let him live his life as a mortal. A kingdom isn't defended by locking up broken men, Vane. It’s protected by building something they were too blind to maintain."
"Yes, My Luna," Vane said with a crisp nod. He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Elder Ren is waiting downstairs. The spring planting festival is set for tomorrow. The villagers have asked if you will light the central beacon."
May you like
Celine stood up, smoothing the front of her tunic. The birthmark beneath her skin gave a warm, steady pulse—not a burning curse, but a gentle, grounding heartbeat that resonated with the very soil of the valley.
"Tell them," Celine said with a faint, genuine smile, "that the fire will burn brighter than ever."
