The Devided Kingdom

"The Peace Gala"

"Finally... this day is over!" Ophelia sighed in relief after the long events.

"I must admit, my speech was impressive, wasn't it?" said Danyal, his eyes shining with pride.

He added, "Oh, of course! All the girls couldn't take their eyes off me the whole time."

Emma shook her head in disbelief. "Really? Your arrogance has surpassed the limits of the universe now!"

"It's not arrogance, my dear, it's absolute truth!" Danyal said with a sly smile.

"Oh, sure, sure..." Emma began, but she suddenly stopped at the sound of knocking on the door.

"Come in," Ophelia said.

The door opened, and Frederick entered with confident steps.

"Is something important happening?" she asked, observing his facial expression.

"Yes, a message arrived this morning."

"What is it?" Ophelia asked in surprise.

"It's an invitation to the Peace Land's party."

"A party?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, it's held every five years in the Plains of Peace. All the kingdoms meet there without conflict or weapons. We receive the invitation every time."

"I see... thank you, Frederick," she said, thinking for a moment.

Frederick bowed slightly, then excused himself and left the room.

Emma, who had been watching silently, asked, "Are you going to go?"

"Of course, it's the perfect opportunity. We are on the brink of war and conflict, and new allies will be necessary. But before we go, I need to visit my grandmother... I have some questions that need answers."

"When you leave... the stage will be empty," Danyal said with concern, staring at the ground.

Ophelia looked at him carefully and asked cautiously, "What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid the royal family might take advantage of the opportunity. In your absence, they might try something," Danyal said, his voice filled with fear.

Ophelia smiled confidently as she approached him. "Don't worry. As long as the crown is on my head, no one will dare to rebel. Everyone knows that this crown is the only symbol of power, and no one can take it from me."

"But they are deceitful, and they might try to weaken you in your absence," Danyal said, his worry increasing.

"Let them try, Danyal. Their power comes from the shadows, but I shine a light on them. No one in the kingdom will allow things to descend into chaos while I am the queen," she said confidently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Alright..." Danyal muttered, but he wasn't entirely convinced.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing," Ophelia said firmly.

---

Ophelia and Emma arrived at her grandmother's house, where her siblings, her grandmother, and Olivia were all present.

Ophelia entered the spacious room where the twins were playing on the floor next to Olivia, who was supervising them. As soon as they saw her, they dropped their toys and rushed toward her, laughing and excited.

"Ophelia!" they shouted in unison as they hugged her tightly.

Ophelia knelt down to embrace them, her heart filled with mixed emotions of joy and sadness. It had been a long time since she had seen their bright faces.