Anastasia's pov

　　The morning sun flooded my room with a golden light, promising a hot summer day. Sitting in the armchair in front of the vanity, I watched my own reflection. Flora, my lady-in-waiting, was behind me, her skilled hands finishing the braid in the strands of my blonde hair. Every movement was precise and delicate, and her hands seemed to dance as they intertwined the locks.

　　"Flora, I think I am fond of my ears today," I comment to my lady-in-waiting ...