The Second life with a different chance

Arianna sat quietly on the dry, well-made bed, her mother, Seraphina, seated behind her, slowly running a comb through her long silver hair. The room was serene, bathed in soft golden light streaming from the enchanted lanterns hanging from the wooden beams of their grand chamber. The walls, adorned with delicate elven carvings of nature's harmony, seemed to hum a silent tune. But Arianna's mind was anything but peaceful. Her thoughts churned endlessly, brimming with questions she had buried deep since her return from captivity.

This was the first time she had been alone with her mother, truly alone. The court's prying eyes, the whispers of the nobles, and the overwhelming tension in the kingdom had kept them apart, and now that they had this moment, Arianna felt both anxious and determined.

"Mother," Arianna began, her voice calm yet devoid of the vibrant emotion Seraphina was used to hearing. "Is it a must for me to take over the kingdom when the time comes?"