Chapter 10 - The Family Feast
That evening, the grand dining room was filled with warmth, music, and the boisterous laughter of true family.
Around the long honey-oak table sat the men and women who had proven their loyalty through blood and fire: Dante and his wife; Margaret Collins; Dr. Harrison, who had become a trusted family physician once more; and several trusted captains who had stood firm when the shadows gathered.
At the head of the table sat Sophie, perched high in her pink velvet throne, wearing her mother’s pearl tiara with complete and utter confidence.
Before the feast began, I stood up from my seat, raising my crystal glass to the room. The chatter died down, every eye turning toward the head of the table.
""For a long time,"" I began, my voice steady, resonant, and filled with deep gratitude, ""I believed that power was measured by how many men feared your name, how much territory you commanded, or how much wealth sat in your vaults. But a wise little princess taught me that real power is having the courage to protect the people you love, no matter the cost.""
I looked down at Sophie, who was smiling up at me with absolute adoration, her cheeks rosy from the warmth of the hearth.
""In this house, no one eats on the floor,"" I continued, smiling at our guests. ""In this house, no child ever has to ask permission to be loved. The pretty chairs aren't for show—they are for real family. And real family is chosen by loyalty, by kindness, and by the promises we keep to the innocent.""
I raised my glass higher. ""To Sophie. The true heart of the Moretti family.""
""To Sophie!"" the table roared in unison, glasses clinking across the table, smiles and cheers filling every corner of the magnificent hall.
Sophie clapped her hands, her laughter ringing out like silver bells, pure and completely free of fear. She reached over, grabbed a warm, golden roll from the basket, broke off a piece, and proudly placed it on my plate.
""Here, Daddy,"" she whispered with a cheeky grin. ""The best piece is for you.""
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I sat back down, wrapping my arm securely around the back of her velvet throne. The shadows had come, the wolves had bared their teeth, and the traitors had tried to steal my world. But they had failed.
My daughter was safe. Her throne was secure. And as I watched her giggle and share her dessert with Mr. Fluffy, I knew that as long as I drew breath, my princess would never sit beneath the table again."
