Ian strode through the palace corridors, his expression unreadable, but his mind was a storm of calculated moves and hidden agendas.
The council meeting had gone precisely as he had planned, yet there was still much to do to ensure everything fell into place. His steps were deliberate, echoing the weight of the kingdom's future.
Beside him, Elsie struggled to keep pace, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and frustration.
"Ian, I'm talking to you," Elsie said, her voice a tense whisper. "Why did you renounce the throne? Why now?"
Ian kept walking, his eyes fixed ahead. He could feel Elsie's gaze burning into him, but he refused to acknowledge it.
The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, filled with the soft murmur of palace life and the occasional glance from passing servant
