The palace had settled into a calm rhythm. Time, once heavy with awkward silences and suppressed tension, now flowed gently as Aahana’s pregnancy neared its final weeks. At eight and a half months pregnant, she had stepped away from her role as professor. Her world now revolved around the palace grounds — her growing child, the quiet company of her family, and this life she was slowly embracing.

Every morning began the same way — with soft sunlight streaming through her window, casting long golden beams across the ornate room. Aahana shifted carefully from her bed, her movements slowed by the weight of the child she carried. She walked through the halls, her steps echoing softly on the marble floors as her day began.