Stella's scenes alone are perfect to read while listening to Eurielle, she was always my savor while reading. In case anyone wants to listen, I'll leave a short playlist for you before you start reading

EURIELLE - Song of Durin
EURIELLE - City of the Dead
EURIELLE - Carry Me
EURIELLE - The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
EURIELLE - Lament for Thorin

"Would you like me to braid your hair, my queen?" Stella raised her head from the rings she had been absentmindedly staring at and gazed blankly at the servant who had spoken to her. For a brief moment, she tried to focus on what the servant had just said, but it was in vain—she hadn't been listening. Her mind was so cluttered and so full that she couldn't help but drift off. "My queen?" When Stella nodded, implying that she was listening, the servant, now clearly worried, scrutinized the new queen. The servant had immediately taken a liking to Stella, finding comfort in the warmth she received from this stranger, relieved that, for the first time in this castle, she wasn't met with disdain. She wasn't the only servant who felt this way; there were dozens in the same situation. From the first day she arrived, Stella had won everyone over with her warm smile and kind demeanor, creating a different impression. Most importantly, she had never once made the servants feel small, even indirectly elevating herself. But now, as they looked at their queen's usually pale skin, they couldn't help but feel a small sense of unease, for they knew that the king's aunt would only make Stella sicker and eventually eliminate her if it served her purposes.

"I had asked if you would like me to braid your hair, Your Majesty. Are you well?" This time, Stella slowly nodded her head in response to the servant she was finally listening to, stood up, and murmured her thanks. Her distress stemmed from the conversation she had had with Brandon at the crack of dawn. The king had behaved in a way that was far too close, acting in the complete opposite manner of what she had feared. Before she could even get used to her surprise, she was confronted with a question about her uncle, and without being able to answer, she had already given Brandon the impression that she had been subjected to violence. But she hadn't. At least not by her uncle. Stella would have preferred to endure violence rather than her uncle's perverse and sickly advances. The other kind was far worse. There were so many times when she wanted to rip off her own skin that she was honestly amazed she hadn't done it. She wanted to burn and scrape off every spot her uncle had looked at, complimented, or tried to touch, while there was nothing she could do to protect herself.

And Stella had tried to make herself less attractive. Even though she was aware—partially—of her beauty, she mostly saw it as a curse. It was a curse because it troubled her. She was always the center of attention, always under constant scrutiny, and always envied. But envy was different from admiration. Those who envied her were the sick individuals who wouldn't hesitate to hurt her. As a child, Stella would be dragged into a corner and beaten until she was black and blue. When her uncle found out about this, he made sure that anyone who had hurt Stella paid for it, one by one. With a child's mind, Stella believed her uncle was protecting her and sought refuge in him. As she grew older, she understood his sick behavior and tried to become invisible by doing the best she could to save herself. Did it work? Not at all.

She continued to be beaten by her uncle's wives and children and also faced the loss of her powers. That was the worst of it. Of course, her uncle and his family were the reason her life had been turned upside down, but despite all the bad things that had happened to her, Stella only felt like she was dying when the ring was taken from her hand, or more precisely, from her finger. It wasn't much of a metaphor either—the sun, Solaria's third sun, had been taken from her, leaving only the method of sunbathing to absorb solar energy for everyone to get their vitamin D. It didn't seem like something to be blown out of proportion—it just did. Since the ring was taken from her, Stella's skin had been getting paler and paler, a clear sign of how serious the situation had become.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, her thoughts drifted to the sky-blue dress she was wearing. It felt strange to walk around in such colorful attire within the confines of this dark and imprisoned palace. Not lingering too long, she realized that the servants were following her and left the room, slowly exploring the palace to familiarize herself with it.

There wasn't much to see; both the darkness and the general emptiness of the palace played a significant role in this. As she ran her fingers along the walls, hidden behind the cold darkness, and over the portraits hung upon them, she couldn't help but feel a sudden surge of sorrow. It was so overwhelming that when she lifted her head to discern whether it was her own sentimentality or the sorrow of the palace causing it, she found herself staring in shock at the portrait she had locked eyes with. Such a beautiful woman, Stella couldn't help but be momentarily stunned. Those who called me beautiful would be ashamed after seeing this woman. Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, and her unpainted face shone brightly, creating a source of light in the dark corridor. Swallowing hard, she traced her fingers over the woman's dress, realizing that the texture she touched was merely paint, but to an observer, it might have seemed as though the dress had been sewn onto the portrait. It was so lifelike that she couldn't help but be mesmerized. Everything about the woman was shrouded in black, except for her skin and her strikingly green eyes.

The portrait, with its stern gaze, seemed to be trying to convey something to her. Shaking her head, she tried to gather herself—of course, the portrait couldn't actually speak to her, but it was so different. So real…

"Our late queen, Audra. She was the mother of our king; we lost her on a terrible night. Our king didn't live much longer afterward either—the pain of losing his wife wounded him deeply."

Stella knew that Brandon was the youngest king in the universe, but she had never heard the reason behind it. As for Audra, one didn't need to live as isolated as Stella to not have heard of her. There was a universe, and within that universe, a family that held it in their grasp—the Astralis family. Audra Astralis was the dark queen of the universe, ensuring balance and providing life to every planet by casting just enough shadow to demonstrate her power. There wasn't much more to be said—she was Audra by name and noble strength by nature. As Stella's fingers roamed over Audra's portrait, an unexpected and overwhelming anger suddenly welled up inside her. "Why is this portrait here, in the dark?" The servants tried to hide their surprise, but they couldn't do a very good job, as they hadn't expected someone as gentle and kind as Stella to suddenly lash out like this.

"Well, Your Majesty… Lady Clytia thought this was the most appropriate place."

Despite hearing the name of the woman she knew to be Brandon's aunt, Stella couldn't suppress the rising anger within her. For reasons she couldn't understand, her eyes, now filled with tears, met Audra's stern yet soft gaze. She couldn't fathom why, but the sensitivity she felt towards this portrait had settled deep within her, awakening a protectiveness she hadn't known she possessed.

"I want this portrait moved to the main hall. Let it be placed right beside the king's portrait in the throne room." After struggling to tear her gaze away from the portrait and letting out a sigh, Stella turned her attention to the servants when she received no response, noticing that two of them were exchanging nervous glances. She had given an order, yet there was no reply—did that mean her word didn't carry much weight? Had she gone too far? But how could it be that a queen, especially one responsible for Nyxoria's growth and development, had her portrait hung in a dark, narrow corridor? How had Brandon allowed this?

"My queen…" When one of the servants stepped forward and lowered her head toward her clasped hands, Stella braced herself, sensing that a slight rebuke was coming. She wasn't sure what had possessed her to issue an order that disrupted the usual sequence and order, but she had done it, and now she was about to be put in her place. "Our king's portrait isn't in the main hall either; it's not beside the thrones."

Although Stella wasn't slow to comprehend what she heard, her shock was so profound that it left her unable to respond. "What is the meaning of this?" The two servants, knowing they wouldn't face any scolding or reprimand from Stella, closed their eyes in shame and waited. Stella knew, of course, that if she were to be angry at anyone, it wouldn't be the servants; aware of this, she bit her tongue and forced back the harsh words that threatened to spill from her lips. She had underestimated the aunt—she had realized instantly, upon noticing her insincere smile at the wedding, that she wasn't much different from her cousins and aunts. Stella had grown up among serpents, so she didn't need to know anything about a person or live with them to understand if they were evil. The eyes spoke volumes, and fortunately, Stella was quite good at reading them.

"My queen, Lady Clytia didn't want the portraits to be within view so as not to upset our young king. That's why both of them are in this corridor, which our king rarely passes through."

"Please have both portraits moved to the main hall. I'll visit the hall right after breakfast to see which wall would be most suitable." While the servants exhaled in relief, they couldn't help but shiver at the thought of Lady Clytia's reaction. As they nodded to show they understood, Stella thanked them and quickly continued walking down the corridor, trying not to glance back at the portrait of Audra.

"Isn't she beautiful? As if she was raised by goddesses with kisses, so beautiful and pure that one can't help but be in awe." As the servants giggled while praising their queen, the sound of firm and heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor, prompting them to instantly get back to work, preparing dinner. When the doors swung open, the servants couldn't help but flinch; even hearing Clytia's name was enough to make their skin crawl, and her presence had an intensely deadly effect. The servant chopping carrots tightened her grip on the knife, silently begging for her trembling hands to stay steady as Clytia walked behind each of them, inspecting their work.

"I told you to prepare the soup Brandon likes for tonight. I don't smell it, why is it not ready yet?" The blonde servant stepped forward, keeping her head bowed as Clytia looked at her with disgust, waiting for her to speak. "My Lady, our king has informed us that he won't be joining dinner tonight, and he has replaced the menu you provided with the Solarian menu." Clytia's fingers, clutching her cane, turned ice cold as she tried to process what she had just heard, but it was no use. "Solarian menu?" When it came to Brandon, she knew that no one, including herself, could go against his word, but she wasn't about to give free rein to some new girl either. "I'm allergic to the Solarian menu. From now on, no other cuisine besides Nyxoria cuisine will be prepared in this kitchen. Understood? Change the menu, immediately."

As she turned to leave, her anger hadn't subsided, and she spun around again, trying to figure out whom to lash out at. They were all impeccably dressed, so she couldn't punish anyone for that, and realizing that, she searched for something else, but the servants were neither new nor stupid enough to repeat the same mistake after so many punishments. Growing increasingly irritated, she was about to leave the kitchen through clenched teeth when an idea crossed her mind, and a smile formed on her lips. "One of you come to my room. I'm not choosing; the decision is yours." The devastation she left behind seemed like silence to her, but to the servants, it was deafening. Their trembling hands could no longer hold the knives, and they were left breathless under the weight of the inevitable punishment, disappointed by the fact that no matter what, someone was going to get hurt. Worst of all, they had to choose who would burn, just to satisfy that twisted woman. Despite exchanging shy and sorrowful glances, there was no peace for them until Clytia was satisfied.

Knowing she had to break her gaze with Audra, Stella finally gave up and sank down between the two thrones, sitting on the floor. Her dress spread out around her as her fingers glided over the soft and expensive fabric. Today, she had likely pushed beyond both her own limits and those of the kingdom, going too far and giving orders. Even though she knew she needed to quickly rid herself of the authority she'd shown in a place she shouldn't grow accustomed to, she did the exact opposite. Despite having her own throne, she couldn't muster the courage to sit on it. Since the last time she saw Brandon was that morning, she had been forced to eat every meal alone, a situation that didn't bother her much. After all, given how little she ate, it was a relief not to have anyone glaring at her with contempt, making it easier for her to enjoy her meal. King Everett and Queen Audra stood behind her in all their glory, glowing in the darkness of the palace-like hall, illuminated only by the moonlight, casting a radiant glow that seemed to draw all eyes to them. Or Stella's in this case.

"Is this glow real, or are my eyes just seeing things?" Stella shook her head, trying to dismiss the enchantment cast by the portraits. She wasn't sure how to deal with it, but whatever. She felt as if she had spent all her money on these portraits, leaving her feeling powerless. She hadn't carried them herself; she had ordered the servants to select the most suitable wall, but it felt as exhausting as if she had moved them herself. Sighing, she lowered her head to her rings, focusing on the black Onyx stone, the symbol of Nyxoria, sitting on her ring finger. Once, she had worn a ring bearing the third sun of Solaria there, but now, it was the Onyx stone, a mysterious gem once used in armor and amulets throughout history for its protective properties. Raising her ring-bearing hand to eye level, she examined it carefully. It was a stunning ring; she had to give it credit. When Brandon slipped it onto her finger, his gaze never left Stella, and she found herself equally captivated by the ring. She realized that the same pull she felt toward Audra's portrait was also present in the ring. When she turned her gaze back to Audra's portrait, she noticed that the queen's hands were clasped over her abdomen, and the ring now on her finger once belonged to her, as if proving it. Biting her lip, Stella raised her eyes to Audra's face, feeling a wild urge to talk to the portrait, though she knew that was sheer madness. The insanity wasn't in talking, but in not being able to predict the disappointment she'd feel when she didn't receive an answer.

When the grand doors of the hall burst open, Stella jumped in her seat, quickly turning her gaze to Brandon, who was striding towards her. She wasn't surprised to find him still in black, just as he had been that morning, but the worried expression on his face caught her off guard. As Brandon continued to approach her, furrowing his brow at the sight of Stella sitting on the floor, moonlight once again cast directly upon her, offering a visual feast to his eyes, just as it had the night before. His gaze briefly shifted to the majestic portraits of his parents towering behind the thrones, causing him to hesitate. He wasn't even aware of their existence. After the fire, he thought everything was lost, reduced to ash and rubble. Where had these come from?

Stella, who had been watching Brandon intently, felt her cheeks flush again, realizing she had forgotten to greet him in her shock. It was her first day, but she had already given orders, forgotten to greet the king, and eaten every meal alone without waiting for him. As she contemplated how to stand and greet him, Brandon was already slowly walking over to her. When he finally tore his eyes away from the parents he had longed for, his focus returned to the woman who always rewarded him with her existence when he gazed at her. "Stella?" Stella nodded, finally managing to pull herself together and tried to stand, but Brandon motioned for her to stay, kneeling down beside her. He had been worried sick when he couldn't find her in the vast palace, but now he was cursing the absence of anything to immortalize the sight of Stella in this state. She looked breathtaking in her sky-blue dress, seated on the gleaming gray floor. As he gently brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, Stella shivered in response to this unexpected tenderness.

"I looked everywhere for you. What are you doing here?"

When she raised her eyes to meet Brandon's, she swallowed, relieved to find that he wasn't angry. The soft caresses on her cheek also played a big role in her relaxation. Stella bowed her head, trying to offer the delayed greeting, but Brandon gently cupped her cheek, preventing her from lowering her face. "It's been a long day, and I don't want to miss your face for even a second." Stella barely restrained herself from wanting to crack open Brandon's skull to examine his brain. How quickly he had started to become intimate. He doesn't even know me yet! Unable to muster the courage to question the king, she complied and didn't bow her head, meeting his gaze instead, causing Brandon to take a deep breath. How do you steal my breath like that? I've only known you for a day, and yet, how do you make me lose my mind? Brandon had never been someone who would succumb to beauty alone. He had known many beautiful women, even if they weren't as stunning as Stella, but none had lingered long in his heart or mind to leave a lasting impression. There was a purity in Stella, an inexplicable peace that filled him every time he looked at her. He knew he could surrender to her without hesitation, and while that was reason enough to be afraid, Brandon continued down this path regardless. If something were to happen, he'd prefer it to be by Stella's hand.

If she kept giving him that innocent look as she was now, the inevitable would surely come to pass. Even if Stella did nothing, Brandon didn't think he could last long in the presence of such beauty and purity. As a deep, indescribable desire to hear her voice grew within him, his mind raced, trying to think of something to say to get her to talk. Just as he was about to speak, two knights entered through the open doors, clearing their throats to gain attention. The moment was broken, but Brandon found it hard to recover as he still felt trapped within Stella's gaze, within her hands. "What is it?"

The knights exchanged a brief, confused glance before quickly gathering themselves to speak succinctly. "Your Majesty, the cargo ships have entered the Nyxoria network. They should arrive at the palace by tomorrow afternoon at the latest." As Stella frowned and looked at Brandon, he couldn't help but grin, pleased to get even this small reaction from her. Reluctantly, he released her cheek, stood up, and turned his back on her to face the knights. His grin and soft expression instantly hardened, causing the knights to straighten their posture, trying to present themselves as two unyielding walls before him. But when it came to Brandon, they didn't believe there was any wall too strong not to fall. "Who is keeping watch?"

"Sir Adam, Your Majesty. Given the value of the cargo, he said it would be more appropriate for him to go, so he left the palace this morning." Brandon nodded, deciding to cut the conversation short to end it as quickly as possible.

"Alright. Is there anything else?" The knights shook their heads, signaling their response, and Brandon gestured for them to leave. "Close the doors as well." They responded in unison, not forgetting to bow to the king and queen before closing the doors. Now back alone with Stella, Brandon turned to her, bending down to wrap his arm around her waist. Though Stella let out a small gasp of surprise, which made him quietly proud, he tried not to show it too much as he slowly lifted her into his throne. Stella seemed more astonished by the ease with which he lifted her, despite how small she was considering to him, it shocked her even more that he had managed to place her in the throne without a hint of struggle. Even the weight of her dress had worn her down throughout the day, and Brandon's muscular build was no longer just a sight to behold; it was now evident in his actions.

Brandon placed his hands on either side of the throne, leaning in close to her. Stella, meanwhile, leaned back against the chair, trying to create at least a little distance between them, but Brandon quickly closed the gap. She wasn't sure if it was just her being too guarded, but they had only just met! There were so many things she didn't know about Brandon, and the same could be said for him, yet he was already ignoring that and making moves without hesitation, shattering the introductory phase. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed it, though; Brandon's posture, appearance, the energy he exuded, and the power he radiated drew her in irresistibly. When Brandon's nose brushed against hers, Stella let out the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. Brandon, feeling her breath warm his face, closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking a second to steady himself. He was drawn to everything she did, but for some reason, he couldn't act as freely as he wanted. The main reason was his fear of scaring Stella. He wanted her to feel safe and secure around him; he definitely didn't want her to feel the same as she did in her uncle's arms. Realizing he had remembered something he shouldn't, he frowned, feeling the bubbling anger within him, and he became aware that his balance was becoming as thin as a thread day by day. He definitely hadn't been this unstable, but here he was.

"Did you eat your dinner?" Stella, for a moment, thought he was asking just to change the subject, but Brandon looked quite serious. As she nodded in confirmation, Brandon smiled warmly. "The climate has already changed, and I didn't want you getting sick from a change in diet as well. Did you enjoy it?" While Brandon's fingers played with Stella's soft hair, she paused, trying to find meaning in his words. What was in the meal? "Your meals are quite delicious, a bit less colorful than Solaria's, but still good." Brandon's brows furrowed, and the hand that had been moving stopped on Stella's shoulder as he lifted his gaze to her amber eyes, searching for something to resolve his confusion, but Stella was just as clueless. "What was served for dinner, Stella?" Stella, who was just as puzzled as Brandon, started thinking, forgetting her shyness, "Well, I don't know the name, but it was something with black beans." As her brows knitted and her gaze dropped to the floor, Stella was unaware of Brandon's rising anger. Suddenly, Brandon slammed his hands on the arms of the throne and began walking toward the door, too blinded by rage to notice Stella's frightened flinch. Since when had his orders started being ignored?

Stella watched in fear as Brandon stormed off, biting her lip hard, punishing herself for whatever thoughtless thing she had said. She didn't know what she had said, but it had clearly upset Brandon. Her eyes involuntarily turned to Audra's portrait, and she felt a small sense of relief. As she released her lip, she began to suck on the bleeding spot, a voice inside her whispered that Audra didn't approve of this action, causing Stella to drop her lip as she shivered against the voice in her head. Had she just heard Audra's voice, or was it entirely her own inner voice? Forcing herself to turn toward the door, Stella tried to shake off her mother-in-law's influence. She was already reeling from the effect of her son, the last thing she needed was his mother.

As she started walking toward the exit, her steps were hesitant, as if she was moving backward, but she resisted. She didn't want to anger Brandon more than she already had, especially since she was the one who had upset him in the first place. Her fingers grasped the door Brandon had opened, and Stella bowed her head, cursing her own meekness. She couldn't find peace anywhere, either she was on edge or gripped by fear. Solaria might have been her home, her own planet, but there, Stella had been like a bat, sleeping during the day and staying awake at night so she could protect herself in case her uncle made a surprise entrance. Grasping the hem of her dress and slipping off her heels, she walked through the corridor, eliminating the possibility of making any noise. All she needed to do was be careful and quiet.

She moved through the dark corridor, the cold stone floor chilled her already shivering body even more. The palace was so soulless that even if Brandon didn't throw her out, Stella might have done it herself. But still, she wasn't entirely certain about that. She had nowhere else to go. As she quickened her pace toward her room, Stella involuntarily halted at the sound of shouting. She clearly recognized Brandon's voice, but the other voice wasn't familiar. Where had Brandon gone after getting so angry?

"She's my wife!"

Stella felt as if she had been nailed to the spot, her body, already freezing, now felt completely numb as if it no longer belonged to her. Swallowing, even though she knew it was wrong, she continued to listen to the conversation.

"And I'm your aunt! I was here before she was, Brandon! It's just a dinner menu, why are you blowing this out of proportion?" Although Stella couldn't see him, she could imagine what Brandon looked like, and the fact that she could picture it so clearly left her amazed. She gripped her dress and shoes even tighter. "It's not just about the food. What are my parents' portraits doing behind the thrones? Wasn't I supposed to be the only thing left of them? Wasn't there supposed to be nothing else? What else is there that I don't know?" Stella leaned back against the wall, seeking some nonsensical form of protection from Brandon's roar. Though he wasn't even near her, she couldn't help but be afraid, flinching at loud noises, sudden movements, and reactions. Although this didn't necessarily make her a coward, Stella saw it as a weakness and involuntarily reacted, just like she was doing now with the rising voices.

"What? What portraits? What are you talking about?"

Brandon, grinning as if he hadn't heard his aunt, stared at her, which was enough to make Clytia flinch and step back in fear. "Brandon, look, calm down. Let's talk…" The sound of something crashing echoed, and Stella quickly let go of her dress, covering her mouth, trying not to make even the smallest noise.

"You don't know how far I'm willing to go. You underestimate me because of my age, fine, go ahead, I don't care. But you will be careful with Stella. You will not disrespect her or offend her. Neither you nor that daughter of yours. I'm aware she's silent, and I know that's only a bad sign. Watch your steps Clytia."

When Clytia didn't respond, Stella closed her eyes, immediately feeling the weight that settled on her. Maybe Brandon thought he was doing the right thing, that he was protecting Stella, but the thing Stella had witnessed the most was a woman's anger and hatred. Her uncle had always been harsh and cruel to his wives, threatening them, beating her cousins with his own hands, and telling them not to lay a finger on Stella. Yet in the end, they had always returned, causing even more harm. The same was bound to happen now, and Stella realized in horror that her fate seemed to be caught in a never-ending cycle. There was one man, but not even a thousand men would be enough to protect her from one woman. Women are smart creatures; Stella didn't know this because no one had crossed her, but she could imagine that if anyone did, she wouldn't react any differently.

"Brandon, what are you saying? I was the one who found Stella for you!" Stella furrowed her brows, unable to contain her anger at being spoken of like some kind of possession, but hearing Brandon laugh made her freeze in surprise. My God, what a strange night. Stella, feeling she had stayed too long, grabbed her dress again, intending to retreat to her room when Brandon's next words nailed her in place once more.

"It was my mother who brought her to me. Not you."