A marriage alliance. Nothing was surprising here.
"Is it because of Asvaldur?" Thorin asked bluntly.
King Valentin clearly hesitated to lay all his cards on the table this early in the negotiation. If Thorin knew his weakness from the get-go, who knew how it would influence the alliance.
Thorin continued, "Isn't it strange that Asvaldur suddenly wants to expand its territory when it was the very empire that unified everyone in the first place?"
The king inhaled deeply. His eyes betrayed his reluctance to share more.
"Your Majesty, I believe I have a right to know," Thorin pressed. "If we're to build an alliance—a marriage alliance, no less—shouldn't we start with some mutual trust?"
King Valentin pondered for a moment, then glanced at his council members, who nodded in agreement.
