AUXILIARY CHAPTER: THE FALL OF HOUSE LIORA

Year 972 of the Solaris Calendar

The grand halls of House Liora once gleamed with opulence, adorned with chandeliers that spilled golden light upon marble floors. Silk banners bearing the house's sigil—a radiant phoenix rising from a bed of stars—draped the towering columns, a symbol of resilience and wisdom.

But tonight, the halls were eerily silent.

Lord Cedric Valen, a noble of minor standing, stood among a group of well-dressed aristocrats, watching as House Liora collapsed before his eyes.

The gathering was supposed to be a diplomatic feast—one of House Liora's renowned political gatherings. Invitations had been sent, alliances were meant to be reaffirmed, and power was to be balanced over fine wine and whispered negotiations. But instead, a scandal had erupted.

A royal decree had been issued mid-banquet.

"By order of His Majesty, King Alistair IV, House Liora's lands and assets are hereby seized for failure to fulfill obligations to the Crown."

A stunned silence followed the proclamation. Then, the room descended into chaos.

Gasps, whispers, and the rustling of silks as nobles shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Some immediately distanced themselves from the Liora family, as if proximity alone would taint them. Others watched with veiled interest, like predators circling wounded prey.

At the center of it all stood Lord Reginald Liora, the last true patriarch of the house.

His face, once full of confidence, had turned pale as he clutched the decree in shaking hands. His wife, Lady Eleanor, sat frozen beside him, her fingers white against the armrest of her gilded chair.

"This…" Lord Reginald's voice cracked. "This must be a mistake."

The king's messenger, a stern-faced man clad in the deep blue robes of the royal court, remained unmoved. "There is no mistake, my lord. House Liora failed to provide the promised support during the last border conflict. Your house was to supply the kingdom with strategic counsel and resources. You failed in this duty. Thus, the Crown reclaims what is owed."

Cedric narrowed his eyes. That was a lie.

House Liora had always been loyal to the throne. Their wisdom had guided kings for generations. If anything, they had been too deeply entrenched in royal matters to simply "fail their duty."

But logic meant nothing against the power of a decree.

From the corner of his eye, Cedric saw Duke Everhart—the war hero, the king's right hand—watching the scene from the shadows of a balcony above. Expression unreadable.

Some say he was involved in this downfall. Others claim he merely observed, a silent figure in the grand game of politics.

Regardless of the truth, one thing was clear: House Liora's fate had been sealed.

Within weeks, their estates were seized. Their allies abandoned them. Lord Reginald fell ill under the weight of disgrace, and Lady Eleanor faded from the noble sphere.

And the daughter?

A mere girl at the time, Seraphina Liora, was too young to fully grasp the extent of their ruin.

But Cedric remembered the way her violet eyes burned with something far beyond her years.

A fire.

A silent vow.

A whisper of a phoenix yet to rise.

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End of Auxiliary Chapter

This gives background on House Liora's downfall from an outsider's perspective, planting key questions:

Was the royal decree a cover for a larger scheme?

Was Duke Everhart truly uninvolved, or did he know more than he let on?

Why was House Liora targeted when they had always been loyal?