Aurora watched the crowd in silence.

"If you want to see the royals, go ahead. I can make my way to the mine on my own," she said softly.

She felt confident about where to find the magic stones and was eager to prove her theory right. Besides, the thought of a warm bowl of soup and a slice of meat spurred her on—enough motivation to start digging.

"This is my first time seeing the king and queen!" Annie said, her voice brimming with ...