The moonlight court - Seraphine's kingdom
The palace's walls stood tall, but tonight they felt suffocating.
Torches lined the grand hall where both royal families awaited news, tension thick as fog. Seraphine's parents - King Alderon and Queen Elaria - stood near the high table, their faces pale with unease. Across from them, King Marius Thorne and Queen Eirwen - Evander's parents, watched the doors like hawks.
The doors opened. Evander entered. His armor bore scratches and smudges of ash, the weight of failure hanging off his shoulder.
Queen Elaria's voice cracked the silence, "Where is my daughter? "
Evander swallowed hard, "She is alive. "
Relief flickered - then shattered.
"Evander, where is my daughter? "
Evander dropped to one knee, unable to meet their eyes, "Forgive me.
