Fifty-Five

Athena

My heart was moved with sympathy for the queen. She was ostracized among her people and even Cameron had distanced himself from his mother. She was now isolated in one of the smaller buildings on the castle grounds, waiting to complete her purification rituals.

I made my way to the kitchen of the castle. The castle maid on duty and I decided to prepare rice for her. I helped to arrange the rice neatly on a plate with a colorful side dish of vegetable salad and roasted chicken. Once everything was ready, I packed the food and headed towards the Queen's temporary residence.

The guard stationed outside eyed the bag in my hands. “What do you have there?” he demanded gruffly.

“It’s just food,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite my irritation at his unnecessary scrutiny. He hesitated for a moment before stepping aside, allowing me to enter.

Inside, the building was more furnished than I had expected. I walked through the rooms, searching for the Queen, and finally found