Mirella returned carrying a tray. On it were bread, vegetables, a small bowl of soup, and a portion of meat.
The meat, as always, was placed only before Sienna.
Even Wood and Stone did not receive any.
The meal was simple, yet everything about it revealed care.
The best food.
The warmest room.
The greatest protection.
In this castle, everyone revolved around her.
That realization pressed on her heart more heavily than any burden.
She was not the original Sienna. But these people trusted her with absolute sincerity. They looked to her as the center of their world, as the pillar supporting their remaining hope.
The more they gave to her, the more determined she became to repay them.
She stared at her plate without moving.
The steam curled upward.
The scent of roasted meat filled the air.
But her thoughts were elsewhere.
Mirella noticed immediately.
"Young Miss," she asked with concern, "does the meal not suit your taste?"
