|ASTRAEA| In the quiet of the palace chambers, surrounded by the familiar faces of my family, I gathered the courage to speak the words that weighed heavily on my heart. "I'm not here to stay," I whispered softly, my voice barely above a whisper.Their smiles, though weak, spoke volumes of their understanding. "We know," my father replied, his voice filled with a quiet resignation that tugged at my heartstrings.As I gazed at them, taking in their slightly weathered faces and the subtle signs of aging that marked the passage of time, a wave of disbelief washed over me. "How long have I been gone?" I asked, my voice trembling with shock."Two years," my mother's response was barely a whisper, but it hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me reeling from the realization of just how much time had passed in my absence.And then, the question I had been dreading hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over our reunion. "W-what of Alan?" I ventured, the silence that followed deafening in its i
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