Lady Naram was the first to notice the shift in the palace.
As a daughter of a high noble house, she had been raised to read the smallest movements of the court. The atmosphere in the palace had changed. The guards, who used to treat the "War Bride" like a piece of furniture, now bowed to Lian Zhi with a nervous energy. It was clear they were under strict orders. Princess Lian Zhi was no longer a decoration in the background. She had become the center of the palace.
But most painfully, Lady Naram noticed the silence surrounding her own wedding.
The Khan had postponed the ceremony, and he hadn't offered a private apology to her or her father. He hadn't sent a single messenger to reassure her. He simply announced the delays to the court as if he were rescheduling a minor meeting.
Days passed, and the throne room remained silent. Meanwhile, she watched him walk the corridors with her, side by side as if she was his bride.
