Joseph stood tall in the grand, dimly lit hall of the Britannian Palace, facing a circle of nobles whose eyes bore into him like wolves sizing up an unfamiliar predator. The walls loomed high, lined with deep crimson banners of the kingdom, and the flickering torchlight cast long, ominous shadows. At the head of the room, perched atop her gilded throne, Queen Maria watched in silence, her fingers drumming against the armrest.
She finally broke the tension. "Let us begin the discussion regarding the Bernard Empire's proposed alliance." Her voice carried through the chamber like the first crack of a storm.