Eighty-One: Fresh Starts, New Beginnings.

ELIANA.

I sat at the big, dining table across which was a variety of food and delicious dishes. Everyone squeezed around, passing plates and murmuring words beneath their lips. Most of all, they were all smiling and happy.

I can’t remember the last time we had a feast here or even if we’d ever had a feast. It was all too fitting after everything we’d all been through, that my reign began with a dinner of celebration.

All the inconspicuous whispers and chattering swept through my ears as I looked around the table. The room was cozy, lit up with soft lights which hung from the ceiling. The sound of laughter and stories mixed together.

Kids screaming in excitement, darting through relatives for food, their faces aglow with innocence and joy, making the air feel even warmer and happier. A smile brushed along my lips as Elijah scurried back and forth where I sat.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Denver’s voice suddenly echoed from above and I tilted my head to face him. “Nothing,