I woke to a palace that felt different, though nothing about the walls had actually changed.Everyone’s behavior had.Servants bowed more deeply. Guards addressed me more formally. People waited, now, for my permission before speaking at all.“Good morning, Your Highness,” someone said, and I actually turned, expecting the greeting to belong to someone else standing nearby.No one else was there.-----My attendants had prepared formal clothing that morning, beautiful and far more elaborate than anything I usually wore. I looked at it for a long moment.“It reflects your restored status,” one attendant explained.“Do I have to wear it?” I asked.She hesitated, and that hesitation told me everything I needed to know.I didn’t reject it outright. I simply chose something else instead — elegant, but still recognizably mine.-----The title followed me through the entire morning.“Your Highness, breakfast is ready.”“Your Highness, the council requested—”“Your Highness, your schedule—”E
Last Updated : 2026-08-18 Read more