The following moonrise, Moon Estate awakened beneath a sky painted in soft shades of silver. A cool breeze drifted through the gardens, carrying the scent of fresh roses and dew-covered grass.
Inside the feeding chamber, seven-winter-old Bryan Oliver sat quietly at the breakfast table, slowly pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate with his fork instead of eating them. Across from him, Princess Charlotte happily kicked her little legs beneath her chair while the head maid cut her pancakes into tiny pieces.
Emma noticed Bryan's unusual silence as she poured herself a cup of tea. She set the pot down and looked across the table at him.
"Bryan."
He glanced up. "Yes, Mother?"
"You've barely touched your breakfast."
"I'm not very hungry."
She watched him for a moment. Bryan lowered his eyes and moved his fork through the eggs again without taking a bite.
"Are you thinking about your father?"
Bryan's hand stopped.
