In the magical world of dragons...
Queen Elizabeth Vetrov of the Kingdom of Asterin sat in her office, poring over documents, when her assistant, Allen, knocked on the door. "Enter," she called.
"Good morning, my dear queen," Allen greeted as he stepped into the office, closing the doors behind him.
"Speak," she said, lifting her head to address Allen.
"Queen Mother's assistant called this morning to inform us that the queen mother has appointed the great sword master, Tang, as a personal trainer for Princess Alina, as she has shown a keen interest in sword fighting," Allen reported.
Queen Elizabeth responded with a smile. "Mother dotes on her far too much. It's good to hear that she's taking an interest in something useful."
Allen smiled, thinking of the spirited princess. "Continuing," he said.
Taking a deep breath, Allen continued, "The expert we invited to treat King Edward has stated that there is nothing more he can do. We can only pray to the gods for his recovery."
Elizabeth let out a sigh, rising from her seat and approaching the window for some fresh air. "This is the third such report this year," she noted wearily.
Allen lowered his head slightly, then continued, speaking to her back. "And..."
Elizabeth inquired without turning around, "And what?"
"I have informed Alexander that you are summoning them all back for the Princess's death anniversary," Allen explained. "He has assured me that they will all return in time."
At this, Elizabeth fell silent. Her expressionless face belied the turmoil within, though a keen observer might have discerned a trace of sadness and guilt in her eyes.
"Very well. Attend to the preparations," she finally uttered.
With a bow, Allen replied, "Yes, my Queen," before taking his leave. Left alone, the queen sank back into her leather chair, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.