The Royal Park of Arindale was a sprawling expanse of manicured greenery designed to make nature look as submissive as possible.
Every tree was trimmed into a geometric shape. Every flowerbed was color-coordinated. It was, Kaia decided, the landscape equivalent of her sister: beautiful, rigid, and utterly terrified of a stray leaf.
"Smile, Kaia," Beckett whispered. "You look like you are marching to a sentencing hearing."
"I am," Kaia muttered, twirling her lace parasol. "This is a sentencing hearing. The sentence is 'death by boredom'."
They were walking arm-in-arm down the main gravel path, surrounded by the entire aristocracy of the capital. The "Promenade of Virtue" was less of a walk and more of a parade. The Empress led the charge, beaming at her subjects, while the Emperor followed behind, looking like he wanted to annex a neighboring country just to get out of the fresh air.
Ten paces ahead of them walked the Golden Couple.
Aeron and Victoria.
