While signing important documents sent from the Kingdom of Order, Sindel cast a discreet glance toward the window of her study. Outside, she spotted the leader of the Umgadi, her old friend Li Mei, tending to her six-year-old twin daughters as they played happily in the garden. The warm sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone path while the sound of children's laughter carried on the gentle breeze.

There was something profoundly comforting about the way Li Mei treated the girls. Unlike most members of the court, who barely acknowledged the children and only offered cursory greetings when they crossed paths, Li Mei always gave them genuine attention. This made the girls feel seen in a place that often seemed cold and indifferent. The palace, vast and imposing with its high ceilings and marble floors, was dominated by grouchy courtiers obsessed with maintaining appearances, leaving Sindel’s daughters feeling almost invisible in their own home.

But Li Mei was different. From the moment the twins were born, she had been there—practically a second mother to them. On days when Sindel and Jerrod were occupied with endless meetings and urgent matters of state, it was Li Mei who looked after the girls, comforting and playing with them. This special bond not only warmed Sindel’s heart but also reminded her of her own mother’s words: “If anyone wishes to please me, they must first please my children.” The familiar scent of jasmine from the garden flowers drifted in through the open window, triggering the memory of her mother's voice.

With a soft smile on her lips, Sindel finished the paperwork and stood up, the wooden chair scraping slightly against the stone floor as she made her way to the garden. As soon as Li Mei noticed her approach, she gave a respectful bow and quietly withdrew, leaving the mother and daughters in peace.

The two girls ran towards Sindel, their small feet pattering against the grass as they leaped into her arms, showering her with warm hugs and sticky kisses. Their tiny hands grasped at her royal robes while their laughter filled the air like musical notes.