High Horse

While the rest of Astaria clung to hope by a thread, a very different game was being played inside the palace walls. The kingdom was still reeling in the aftermath of King Oberon's attack, yet the political wheels kept turning. 

Prince Valerie, seeing an opportunity in the chaos, had practically seized control. Though his claim to power wasn't official, it was clear to anyone paying attention that Valerie was making his move. His authority was cemented when he called a meeting with the surviving ministers in the grand room, where he now sat on his father's throne, a symbolic gesture that sent ripples through the court.

Minister Ormani, one of the few who had survived the assault, stepped forward, holding a scroll. "Your Highness," he said, his voice bold despite the simmering tension, "this is the situation in the Fae realm."

A guard approached to take the report and handed it to Valerie, who reclined with a calmness that unnerved those watching.