The change in Entya was like a breath of fresh air sweeping through Talrakia. With Entya's body now fully developed, displaying the face and form of a young woman fit for marriage, there was no longer any reason to delay the wedding between King Nashr and the nomad girl.

  The palace was soon busy with massive preparations. The stone corridors that were usually quiet were now crowded with the footsteps of servants and joyful whispers. The scent of spices and flowers filled the air, while tables were filled with guest lists and menus. Every corner of Talrakia, from the market below the cliffs to the grand palace hall, felt the euphoria of the royal wedding preparations.

  In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Nashr often found himself stealing glances at Entya. The girl he once saw as a child now stood before him as a stunning young woman.

  Every time their eyes met, Nashr felt his body stiffen and his heart race uncontrollably. He noticed the clarity of Entya's eyes which now radiated maturity, her smooth skin glowing under the palace lights, and her slender waist which was now perfectly formed. His thoughts drifted far, imagining his fingers touching that skin, feeling its warmth and softness...

  Quickly, he stopped his wild thoughts. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to focus on the pile of tasks before him. That desire had to be kept tightly shut, locked within the fortress of his heart. At least for now.

  Entya herself was not much different.

  'Is this about the world... or is this about the two of us?'

  Nashr’s questions, along with Enki’s words about their destiny that had echoed through the desert, continued to spiral in her mind.

  Every time she crossed paths with Nashr, she felt an increasingly powerful resonance of energy between them. It was a foreign feeling, yet it felt right, as if everything had finally fallen into place.

  However, that feeling also came with a burden of guilt. How could she feel this way after years of her heart being tied to Yul? Was this a betrayal of her old self who always called Yul's name in every dream?

  She immediately brushed those thoughts away.

  In the courtyard of the grand stone palace, the group from Salkha arrived. Eldeghai, the Salkha Elder who was also Entya's grandfather, Aunt Beihe who cared for her, and Bataar the Salkha warrior, came from the location of the new Salkha village. They had traveled a long way and looked exhausted, but that was nothing compared to the shock that flashed in their eyes when they saw Entya.

  The Entya standing before them now was no longer the tiny little girl they knew. Her height had increased, her charcoal hair hung beautifully down to her back, and her body had developed into a graceful young woman.

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  "This is impossible..." Eldeghai grunted his voice hoarse. He turned to Bataar who stood still like a statue. "Bataar, didn't you say he was just a commander? Which commander has a palace like this?"

  Bataar finally spoke, his voice low and heavy. "He is not some ordinary commander."

  Eldeghai snorted again, but this time, there was a hint of doubt in his gaze. "But how can this be? This is too fast and too sudden..." he muttered more to himself, trying to digest the reality before him.

  Bataar only nodded stiffly. His mind fixed on Nashr, as if he had just realized something fundamental had been missed. "He might have hidden his identity at that time, Eldeghai. He is the King of Talrakia." Bataar's voice sounded like a heavy confession.

  "The King? The King of this desert?" Eldeghai snorted, his eyebrows furrowing deeply. "And he proposed to my granddaughter? It makes no sense! A King would not marry a nomad girl whose body just developed overnight!" There was a tone of disbelief in his voice.

  Aunt Beihe who heard the conversation approached. "Eldeghai, were you not the one who rejected every proposal for Entya because of her condition? And now she has grown perfectly, more beautiful than we could ever imagine. Is this not a blessing?" Beihe looked at him with a demanding gaze. "Entya's power is too great to stay in our village. This is her destiny Eldeghai. She is destined for great things."

  Eldeghai did not answer, only rubbing his temples. He looked at Entya who now appeared so elegant in her modified deel. His granddaughter, whom he thought would forever be trapped in the body of a child, was now going to be a Queen. And the man who proposed to her was the King who ruled this desert. The world is indeed full of surprises, he thought, and sometimes the surprises are too big to swallow.

  Catching sight of her grandfather, Entya only bowed her head briefly, a fleeting gesture of respect given their consistently strained relationship. However, when her gaze met Aunt Beihe’s, a warm smile touched her lips. She immediately hurried toward her aunt and embraced her tightly, seeking the familiar comfort of that wise woman’s warmth.

  Aunt Beihe returned Entya’s embrace, her eyes welling with tears. She stroked Entya’s charcoal hair, then cupped the girl’s cheeks. "Look at you, child," she whispered softly, her voice thick with emotion and pride. "You have blossomed into a beautiful flower, just like your mother." She smiled, a meaningful smile that only Entya could truly understand. "It could be that being with him is your destiny."

  Entya offered a thin smile, trying to hide the turmoil in her heart. Aunt Beihe’s words, though comforting, also planted seeds of doubt.

  She was still unsure about the marriage with Nashr.

  Her heart still held another name, another memory. Yet she knew that everything had already gone too far.

  There was no turning back from this.

  For the sake of the people she had to protect, for the Salkha people who now relied on the protection of Talrakia, and for the people of Talrakia who needed stability and hope.

  She tried so hard to find something positive in all of this.

  But her heart... oh, her heart could not lie.

  In the corner of the room, Bataar stood rigid, his gaze fixed on Entya. He said nothing of Yul. That silence pierced Entya deeper than a thousand words. Her chest felt tight with a suffocating weight. Entya had so many questions about Yul.

  'Where was Yul? Why did he not come?'

  'Was Yul alright?'

  However, seeing the silence and the clouded expression on Bataar’s face, Entya knew that nothing could be said. Those questions would only inflict deeper wounds. She could only swallow the bitterness, letting it settle at the bottom of her heart as she stepped forward toward the destiny that had been waiting for her.