The hall smells of polished wood, ink, and a kind of expectation that thickens the air.
My robe feels heavier than I imagined it would — not from the weight of fabric, but of memory. Of legacy. Of everything it took to get here.
When I rise to take the final oath, the silence in the auditorium wraps around me like a crown. For the first time in a long while, I feel... still.
The names are being called one by one, but all I hear is the thrum of my heart in my ears.
And then—
"Celeste Lucien."
My full name echoes through the room like a verdict from heaven.
I step forward slowly, my black shoes clicking softly on the polished floor. Heads turn. Phones lift. Flashes burst like tiny fireworks. I keep walking.
Not as a queen.
Not even as a mother.
But as a woman who has come full circle; forged in silence, fire, and sacrifice.
As I reach the podium, my eyes drift upward to the large portrait hanging above the stage. The late King Lucien — my mentor, he stares down with the timeless intensity of justice and royalty.
The Judge King.
The man whose gaze always stirred something sacred in me.
Today, I meet that gaze with strength.
The oath leaves my lips steady and calm, but something stirs in my chest when I say the words:
"…to uphold justice, to defend truth, and to serve without fear or favour…"
I feel the weight of it.
Like I've just been anointed with something eternal.
When the Chief Justice hands me the scroll, I bow low.
For Lucien.
For Cassain.
For the daughter who couldn't stay.
For every broken girl who learned how to rise.
As I return to my seat, my eyes sweep over the sea of familiar faces.
Cassian is sitting in the front row, dressed in royal navy blue. His eyes never leave mine. He doesn't smile, not the wide kind but the pride in his gaze roars louder than the applause.
Beside him sits Ray, perched like a little prince in a mini suit, swinging his legs, holding a small flag of the Matican emblem. When I catch his eye, he grins and waves, whispering loudly,
"You did it!"
My heart clenches.
Only Esther, standing discreetly at the back, knows just how much that boy means to me… to us.
My mother, Amira, dabs at her eyes with a gold-trimmed handkerchief.
Madam Jesse watches me with that look she wears only when she knows a prophecy has come to pass.
And somewhere near the aisle, I spot Professor Kaine from my very first class; nodding like he always knew this day would come.
I sit down slowly, my scroll clutched to my chest.
"Celeste Lucien… Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Matica."
It sounds unreal.
But I've never felt more alive.
More... right.
And as the hall bursts into applause for the final round of graduates, I lean back in my seat, lift my chin, and whisper to myself,
"This is for you, your majesty!"
The Judge King's eyes seem to glow under the hall lights: steady, proud and eternal.
***
The grand Hall turned reception hall shimmers with golden lights, fresh blooms, and soft jazz drifting through the high ceilings. I barely recognize the space, it's been transformed from its usual neutral elegance into something warm and intimate.
All for me.
There's a quiet grace to the celebration. Not extravagant or loud, but thoughtful in every detail. Cassian's touch is unmistakable.
Every time someone offers a toast or clinks a glass in my honor, my eyes drift to where he stands; tall, poised, yet utterly soft when his gaze finds mine.
Ray rushes between tables, tugging at Esther's gown and waving his little mock gavel in the air.
"I'm calling you to court, Queen Celeste!" he shouts, giggling.
The guests laugh. I laugh. And it feels good to laugh again; not forced, not measured, just… real.
Madam Jesse leans over during dinner and squeezes my hand.
"I told you, Celeste. Law runs in your spirit."
I smile. "And you helped water that spirit."
Even Amira can't hide her joy. She hugs me tighter than usual and tells every guest who will listen, "My daughter is a lawyer!" with the pride of a thousand suns.
But the surprise doesn't come until later, when most guests have left and the evening has melted into candlelight and low music.
Cassian finds me standing alone near the balcony, the cool air brushing against my skin.
"Celeste," he says, walking up behind me. "I have one last gift."
I turn, eyebrows raised. "Wasn't the party enough?"
He smiles, that mischievous, boyish curve of his lips.
"No. This is bigger."
He pulls a slim envelope from inside his jacket and holds it out. "Open it."
I hesitate, suddenly aware of the heat in my chest. Something tells me this isn't just another congratulatory note.
I open the envelope slowly. Inside is a plane ticket… and a handwritten note.
"For the one who has conquered shadows and law, you deserve the sun and silence. Let's disappear, just you and me. Tomorrow. Pack light."
I look up, stunned. "An island?"
He nods. "Somewhere quiet. Private. Yours."
I blink, heart racing. "Cassian…"
"We've lost. We've loved. And we're still standing. Let's go find our joy again, Celeste. Not as royals. Not as rulers. Just as us."
For a moment, the world tilts.
All the grief, the triumphs, the secrets tucked beneath our skin — they pause.
I step closer, slipping the ticket into my clutch.
"Alright," I whisper. "Take me away."
His grin deepens. "Already booked us into a villa by the sea. Just one condition."
"What's that?"
"You leave your courtroom voice at home. I'm not arguing with a barrister on vacation."
We both laugh. Loud. Free.
And for the first time in a long, long time, I feel like the wind might be on our side.