The king's expression grew guarded, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. "Asking for aid will only expose our weaknesses," he said. "If we're too eager to seek assistance, we'll invite unwanted scrutiny. We can't afford to be perceived as vulnerable."
Cedric shot him a skeptical look, clearly unimpressed. "So you'd rather leave Eirik in danger than risk appearing weak?"
Xavian's voice was sharp as he replied, "I'm saying that our internal affairs should remain precisely that, internal. Exposing our troubles could open the door to exploitation from kingdoms already seeking to undermine us."
Lady Elara frowned, her eyes thoughtful. "And yet, we're without any leads, any resources. Keeping this in-house is noble, but it's limiting us, my king."
