"And you look lovely," said Adrianna. She brushed her hair with her fingers. "I am sure if Iona was with us, she would have looked just as lovely as you…" she said in a voice that trailed off with heavy emotions underlying it.
Anastasia lowered her eyes. If Adrianna had lost her daughter that day, she ended up losing her parents. The two women shared similar emotions. She looked up at her and said, "Your Highness—"
"Call me 'Mother'," Adrianna said with a tender expression on her face.
Surprise flickered through her eyes as she stared at the queen for a long moment. The surprise gave way to warmth. The word mother was filled with too many emotions. A lump formed in her throat and tears stung her eyes. Despite the whole world turning against her, Adrianna and Ileus were standing with her. She pushed the lump down her throat and said, "Mother— I, I—" she couldn't speak further.
