The capital city, Arindale.
"Finally, we're here," William said as he stepped off the carriage.
It had been months since he had last been here, and he was struck by how much had changed. The city seemed to have grown even more crowded, with people rushing to and fro, going about their business.
He straightened his jacket and made his way towards the palace. William had been summoned to attend an emergency meeting with the king and other council members due to his position as the captain of the Silver Knights.
As he approached the palace gates, he saw a group of soldiers standing guard. He nodded to them and they let him through. He made his way to the council chamber, where the meeting was already in progress.
"Captain, thank you for joining us," said Lord Marcus, the head of the council. "Unfortunately, His Majesty the King is not able to attend this meeting. He has urgent matters to attend to."
"I understand, Lord Marcus," William replied.
"As you are aware, there have been a series of murders of mages in the city," Lord Marcus continued.
"We need to find out who is responsible for these crimes and bring them to justice. We have reason to believe that a criminal organization may be behind these murders."
"I agree," William said. "My division and I are ready to assist in any way we can. But I have a concern. How can we be sure that the mages in our city are safe?"
"That's a valid concern," said Lady Claire, her voice ringing out with a musical quality that made William turn his head towards her. As the vice-principal of the Academy and a powerful mage herself, Lady Claire commanded respect from all those around her.
Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, framing her delicate features perfectly, and her piercing violet eyes conveyed a sense of intelligence and wisdom beyond her years.
"But we need to be careful. If we announce that there is a threat to the mages, we may create panic and make the situation worse."
"But we can't just sit back and do nothing," argued Lord Burns, his deep voice reverberating in the room. He was a burly man, with broad shoulders and a thick neck, giving the impression of a muscle-headed brute.
"If we don't act now, more mages will die."
"I agree with Lord Burns," William said. "We need to take action. We need to increase security measures to protect the mages."
"But how do we do that without alarming the public?" Lady Claire asked, her eyes filled with concern for her students.
"We should consider assigning guards to the students of the Academy," William suggested. "They are the most likely targets, and we can't afford to lose any of our best and brightest."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Lady Claire nodded in agreement. "But we need to make sure that the students don't feel too confined or threatened. We don't want them to panic or lose focus on their studies."
"We can also increase the patrols in the Academy," William added. "This way, we can protect the mages without creating a panic."
Lady Claire smiled at William's suggestion. Lady Claire's smile was warm and genuine, reaching all the way up to her piercing violet eyes. It was a smile that conveyed both gratitude and approval, and it seemed to light up her entire face.
"I like that idea," she said. "But we need to make sure that the patrols are discreet and don't disrupt the normal activities of the Academy."
"I understand," William said. "I'll make sure that my men are well-trained in being subtle and unobtrusive while still being vigilant."
"Very well. We'll also be increasing the reward for information about the criminals," Lord Marcus added.
"But be careful not to spread the news too much, we don't want to raise any suspicions in the black market. We need to catch them before they strike again."
"So which students are we giving top priority to?" Lady Claire asked.
"We should give priority to the final year students who are most likely to be targeted," William replied.
Suddenly, Lord Marcus spoke up. "What about Isadora?"
There was a brief moment of silence in the room, and William couldn't help but recall what he knew about her. She was the only daughter of the Duke, and the fiancée of the Crown Prince Alexander Arden. However, there were rumors circulating that their relationship was on the rocks, due to Isadora's possessive nature towards the prince.
The other council members exchanged looks, and Lady Claire spoke up. "Regardless of rumors, we can't ignore the fact that she's a potential target."
"Actually, I think William should personally guard her," Lord Marcus said, looking directly at William. "He's the most qualified for the job, given his position."
William was taken aback by the suggestion. He had never personally guarded a noblewoman before, let alone the fiancée of the Crown Prince. However, he knew that Lord Marcus was right. He was the best person for the job.
"I'll do it," William said, trying to hide his apprehension. "I'll make sure that Lady Isadora is safe."