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Twilight painted the palace in gold as Lena, a cherub-cheeked child with eyes like starlit sapphires, stood before her gilded mirror. Her mother’s laughter echoed through the chambers, a warm counterpoint to the rustle of silk as they debated ribbons versus pearls for her dusk-hued gown. Lena’s fingers brushed against embroidered tulips spiraling up the dress’s bodice—a masterpiece of midnight-blue velvet that pooled around her like liquid twilight. A hairpin shaped like a crescent moon nestled into her chestnut curls, its diamond dewdrops catching the chandelier’s glow, while satin slippers embroidered with silver constellations peeked beneath the hem. “Perfect,” her mother murmured, fastening a locket around Lena’s neck—a tiny portrait of the queen inside, winking as if sharing their secret. Beyond the arched windows, carriage lanterns flickered to life, beckoning them toward the ball where the girl who dreamed like a princess would finally dance as one.
