"A beautiful evening," Lucien Noctis remarked with a courteous inclination of his head as the towering doors of Regina's Grand Royal Ballroom opened before him, allowing warm golden light to spill across polished marble floors while the gentle melody of a chamber orchestra drifted gracefully through the palace corridors, creating an atmosphere where elegance concealed calculation and every welcoming smile carried the possibility of concealed ambition.
Lady Vivienne walked beside him with effortless composure, her silver gown flowing behind her like moonlight across still water, and although her expression remained serene, the quiet vigilance within her crimson eyes revealed a woman measuring every guard, every noble crest, and every whispered conversation before she had taken a dozen steps into the hall.
