Only then did he truly understand why the Royal Family had accepted Dakota so completely. It had never been because of her beauty, her background, or any political advantage the marriage might have brought. None of those things mattered. Somewhere along the journey, without anyone consciously realizing when it had happened, Dakota had simply become one of them.
Sarath Nightfall seemed to arrive at much the same conclusion. A gentle smile spread across her face as she looked toward Dakota with unmistakable warmth.
"Royal Luna," she began softly, "if you don't mind me saying so, I think any family would consider itself fortunate to have someone like you."
The unexpected compliment caught Dakota entirely by surprise. She blinked before letting out a small, embarrassed laugh, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she lowered her eyes.
"Thank you," she said with quiet sincerity. "I've... never really thought of myself that way."
