What looked like the eldest from the large group, a boy, quirked his head up, his innocent eyes blinking warily. A chunk of bread fell through his lips, parted with panic. He jumped to his feet, and the abrupt movement alarmed the other children, inspiring similar anxiety in them as if I'd just caught them in the act of something grave.
"Y-your Highness! W-we were just—"
Dust fell.
The ceiling crumbled
My eyes flicked up at the movement, watching through the filtered light for potential disaster. Following my gaze, the boy lifted his head to the ceiling, and his eyes sprang wide when a sharp slab came raining down with a plethora of neighboring pieces. I moved before my mind could fully register the calamity and threw myself forward to cover the boy and neighboring children.
With my crown rolling across the floor, my back caved from the impact of rubble, and a second blow tore against the crown of my head.
