The Queen Mother looked away toward the gardens for a moment. Her expression softened slightly, as though she had remembered something from the distant past. When she looked back at Julian, however, her eyes carried a renewed interest.
"Do you know, Kraven? When you were younger, you used to call me Grandma. Everyone around you would scold you and remind you that you should address me as Your Majesty instead."
Julian held her gaze before giving her a small, apologetic smile.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, my memories are rather weak. I cannot say I remember that."
The Queen Mother did not seem offended. In fact, she appeared rather pleased with his answer.
"Really? That is surprising. You were quite stubborn about it."
She settled more comfortably into her chair.
