Masterpiece Puppet

The meeting chamber was a grand affair—ornate but not excessive, with high ceilings and intricate wooden paneling. A long table stretched between the two parties, its polished surface reflecting the light from a grand chandelier above. On one side sat Althea, poised in her seat, draped in royal blues and gold, while across from her were the foreign delegates from the Tensene Empire, dressed in their distinguished silks and embroidered coats.

She should have been in control of this meeting. Normally, she would have been. But today, her mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else.

Clyde.