Realm Lord

"Girls? What is it?" the king asked, and Arthur was startled to hear the voice coming from what he had begun to think of as his own throat. The voice was warm and gentle, filled with the kind of paternal affection that spoke of deep, unconditional love.

The two girls pulled their faces away from his armor and looked up at him with eyes that glistened with excitement and hope. Their expressions were identical, from the slight upturn of their lips to the way their eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Read to us!" they exclaimed in perfect unison, their voices harmonizing like a well-practiced choir.

Arthur felt the king’s body sigh, a sound that carried both exhaustion and resignation. For a moment, there was silence as the king seemed to contemplate their request. Then, unexpectedly, a shallow giggle escaped his lips—a sound that was both genuine and tinged with something Arthur couldn’t quite identify. Perhaps it was sadness, or maybe just the weight of responsibilities that seemed to press down upon the monarch’s shoulders.

Reaching up, the king carefully removed the sun mask from his face, setting it down gently on an ornate dresser that stood nearby. The piece of furniture was crafted from dark mahogany and inlaid with precious stones that caught the light like captured stars.

"Sure," he said simply, and the effect on the two girls was immediate and dramatic.

They looked at each other with expressions of pure delight, their faces lighting up as if they had just received the greatest gift imaginable. "Yay!" they shouted together, jumping up and down with excitement that was both infectious and heartwarming.

Arthur watched through the king’s eyes in complete shock and bewilderment. ’Am I experiencing his memories? But how? And why?’

The questions continued to plague his thoughts, but before he could explore them further, the king blinked once again. When his vision cleared, the scene had shifted dramatically. They were now in what appeared to be a bedroom, richly appointed with furnishings fit for royalty. The bed was enormous, easily large enough to accommodate several people, and covered with blankets and pillows of the finest materials.

Arthur found himself—or rather, found the king—sitting in the middle of this magnificent bed with a daughter positioned on each side of him. Both girls were leaning against him comfortably, their attention focused entirely on the book he held in his hands. It was a book that Arthur recognized immediately, and the sight of it sent a jolt of recognition through his consciousness.

The book on the nightstand of the twins’ room!