- Pov: ??? -
My footsteps echo down the long, dim corridor, each one heavier than the last. My hands tremble, slick with sweat as I wipe them nervously on my tunic. I've been the king's personal aide for years, entrusted with some of the most delicate matters, but this... this is different. Today, I carry the weight of the kingdom's darkest news. It's honestly pressing down on my shoulders like a vice. I wish I was retired already. I feel like a filthy criminal just because I will have to deliver this news when I'm completely innocent in reality.
I've already written my will, just in case. It feels absurd, yet could prove to be necessary. King Alexios is not known for punishing those who deliver ill news, but this isn't just ill news. This is pure devastation.