The King's Court

Location: The Grand Throne Room, Eldoria Palace

The Grand Throne Room of Eldoria was an awe-inspiring sight, with towering marble pillars and gilded chandeliers that bathed the chamber in a warm, golden glow. Tapestries of past kings hung high on the walls, their woven eyes seeming to judge the nobles who stood beneath them. The air smelled of polished wood and the faintest hint of burning incense—meant to mask the sweat and tension that clung to the room like an invisible fog.

Princess Evangeline sat rigidly on a velvet-cushioned chair beside her father, King Aldric. The old king, though regal, looked frailer today, his grip on the armrest tighter than usual. A few steps away stood Sir Lucian Valemont, ever the disciplined guard, his sword strapped firmly at his waist. He looked like a statue, cold and unmoving, but his sharp blue eyes missed nothing.

At the center of the room, a row of nobles stood in practiced perfection. Among them was Lord Reginald Thorne, a pompous man with a belly that strained against his silk tunic, and his son Edward, who wore the kind of smugness only wealth could afford. Lady Elise Montclair, a widow in her fifties, had an air of quiet calculation about her, and beside her stood her niece, Lillian, a soft-spoken girl with striking red curls. These were the people who thrived in court politics—the ones Eva despised the most.

She had spent three miserable days at court, and already she felt suffocated.

"Your Majesty," Lord Reginald began, bowing deeply. "We must speak of the Princess's future. A royal engagement is long overdue."

Eva barely stifled a groan. The topic again.

King Aldric gave a slow nod. "Proceed."

Reginald smiled, turning toward his son. "Edward is of noble blood, well-educated, and skilled in diplomacy. A match between him and Princess Evangeline would strengthen our kingdom's unity."

Eva blinked at the sheer audacity. This fool truly thinks I'll marry his insufferable son?

Edward stepped forward, flashing a charming smile. "It would be an honor, Your Highness."

Eva's lips curled into something between a smile and a sneer. "Forgive me, Lord Edward, but I'm not in the habit of making lifelong decisions based on someone else's convenience."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room. Lord Reginald's face turned red, but before he could respond, another voice cut through the tension.

"Princess Evangeline requires a husband of strength, not merely status."

All eyes turned to Sir Cedric, King Aldric's trusted advisor, who had been leaning lazily against a pillar, watching the exchange with mild amusement. He straightened, his golden-brown hair falling into place as he stepped into the light.

"Do you suggest a man of the sword, Sir Cedric?" King Aldric asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps," Cedric mused. "Or perhaps a man who understands both the sword and the throne." His gaze flicked ever so briefly to Lucian before returning to the king.

Eva glanced at Lucian, expecting some reaction, but his face remained impassive.

Reginald, still fuming, forced a smile. "Strength and status can go hand in hand, Sir Cedric. My son—"

"Has yet to prove himself in battle," Cedric interrupted smoothly. "And if we are to speak of diplomacy, let us not forget how he fumbled his negotiations with House Vellum last spring."

Edward stiffened, clearly humiliated, while Reginald bristled like a cornered boar.

Eva nearly laughed. Oh, I like this game.

"I see no rush for marriage," she said breezily, standing from her chair. "After all, I've only just returned to court. Surely, a princess deserves time to adjust before being auctioned off?"

King Aldric's mouth twitched slightly—a sign of barely restrained amusement—but his expression remained unreadable. "Enough of this discussion for today."

The court session ended shortly after, the nobles filing out with murmurs of discontent.

Eva turned to Lucian. "You could have at least pretended to be disgusted by the idea of me marrying Edward."

Lucian didn't even blink. "It is not my place to have opinions on royal matches."

Eva scoffed. "You just love being insufferable, don't you?"

Lucian inclined his head slightly. "As you say, Your Highness."

Before she could respond, Cedric stepped between them, grinning. "You handled that well, Princess."

Eva folded her arms. "I wasn't handling anything. I was simply avoiding a lifetime of misery."

Cedric chuckled. "Then you were handling something."

Eva narrowed her eyes at him. Cedric had always been charming, but she never trusted men who enjoyed the game of politics too much. They had a way of turning loyalty into convenience.

"Careful, Cedric," Lucian said coolly. "You're dangerously close to overstepping."

Cedric smirked. "And you're dangerously close to becoming an ornament, Lucian. Always standing, never speaking."

Lucian's jaw clenched slightly, but before things could escalate, a crash echoed from the hallway.

"WATCH OUT—"

A young boy came barreling into the room, arms flailing, before crashing straight into Cedric's legs. Papers flew everywhere.

"Oh, for—" Cedric steadied himself, looking down at the culprit. It was Reed, one of the palace errand boys, his face red with panic.

"Forgive me, Sir Cedric! I—I was delivering—"

"Slow down, boy." Cedric sighed, brushing dust off his tunic. "What's the rush?"

Reed gulped, holding up a parchment. "This letter just arrived from House Vellum. It's urgent."

Cedric's easygoing demeanor vanished. He snatched the parchment and broke the seal, his eyes scanning the words quickly. Whatever he read made his expression darken.

Eva caught a glimpse of the words over his shoulder.

Rebellion is stirring. Be wary.

Lucian stepped closer, reading Cedric's expression. "What does it say?"

Cedric hesitated. "Trouble."

Eva exhaled, rolling her shoulders. She had hoped today's drama would be limited to ridiculous marriage proposals.

Apparently, the universe had other plans.