the crown doesn't ask book 2

> Half a year had passed since the quiet birthday celebration in Scotland.

Time had not moved loudly. The palace halls were still filled with footsteps, lessons, laughter, and royal duties-but something about the family felt different now. Softer in some ways. Wiser in others.

Louis was now eight years old. Though he still carried his playful energy and curious nature, there were moments when he seemed calmer than before, as if he was slowly beginning to understand the world around him.

Charles II had turned fourteen and had grown noticeably more composed. He carried himself with quiet confidence now, often observing more than speaking, much like his father.

Natalie, now eleven, still brought light into every room she entered. Her cheerful spirit remained unchanged, though she too was beginning to mature, balancing kindness with growing understanding.

Charlotte had reached fifteen, and with age came a new sense of calmness within her. She no longer seemed uncertain of herself the way she once had. There was confidence in the way she spoke, walked, and carried the responsibilities of being the eldest daughter of the royal family.

King Charles I, now thirty-eight, remained strong and respected throughout the kingdom. Though stern at times, his family had begun noticing the quieter moments beneath his serious exterior.

And Queen Catherine, at forty-two, continued to be the steady heart of the palace-graceful, intelligent, and always watching over her children with quiet wisdom.

The royal family had changed over the past months.
Not perfectly.
But noticeably.