The soldiers were overly excited, having heard that the capital had been celebrating for a week in anticipation of the end of the war, even though the procession of soldiers had yet to reach the Imperial capital.
The three great ducal families were gathered in the Esdyr Hall, where these powerful families often decided the fate of the Empire, with or without the presence of the imperial family.
Around the large circular table sat five people. The old man, said to be one of the longest-living individuals in the Empire, was the current leader of the Sulidas family, Marcel Sulidas, accompanied by the young regent, Xenia Sulidas, who was only twelve years old.
The man laughing since the start of the meeting was Yezakael Ribamar, the leader of the Ribamar family, a man deeply skeptical of the Church of the Three Saints due to his family's heretical origins.
"Sir Yezakael, stop laughing. This council is not meant to be a circus," snapped Damaris Brancos, the current head of the Brancos family.
Yezakael tried to catch his breath, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Lady Brancos, do you seriously not understand? Hahaha..." He continued to laugh as though what had been discussed was utterly comedic, even though the rest of the room was gravely serious.
The woman seated at the center of the table, with her striking beauty and deep blue eyes resembling the waters of the Azure Lagoon, kept a serious expression. There was little she could do, as she was practically a hostage of the Empire.
"Your Highness Teniris, pay no attention to barbarians like Sir Ribamar," advised Lady Brancos with her beautiful golden eyes.
Teniris Argyris of Aruin, the youngest princess of the Kingdom of Aruin, was to become the wife of the young emperor.
"She'll lose her youthful beauty quickly with our young emperor," muttered the dark-skinned man with green eyes, clearly disgusted by the prospect.
Teniris didn't fully understand the workings of this country, but the gentle smile of little Xenia, who was said to be the same age as the emperor, somehow felt comforting.
Teniris knew one thing—the heroes of the Church of the Three Saints, who wielded military power equal to the war maidens of her own country, were the talk of the continent.
She longed to witness the procession that would take place at midday when the soldiers were expected to enter. However, she couldn't leave just yet, as the announcement of her marriage—made through proxy, of course—would be revealed during the Sarha ball.
Should she hide? Or could she find a way to sneak out and see the procession?
Teniris was unfamiliar with this castle, but as she strolled through the garden, she noticed something strange—a boy sneaking away through the hedge maze, seemingly in disguise.
"Your Highness?"
The maidservant, carrying a bell, asked upon seeing her lady fixedly staring at the spot.
Teniris swallowed nervously and spoke hastily, "I'll walk alone from here."
Teniris followed the boy into the labyrinth. She didn't know why she decided to follow him, but somehow, she felt that this boy knew how to get to the soldiers' procession.
At some point, she lost sight of him, but she realized she had stepped outside the walls of Sarha Palace. The people around her belonged to a world she didn't know, one that existed beyond the high walls of the palace.
Someone pulled her back into the alley from which she had emerged. The cold gaze of the boy, slightly shorter than her, was somewhat intimidating, but his height made it difficult for Teniris to be afraid. Still, the boy seemed quite arrogant.
"Did my mother send you to follow me? Answer me now."
He carried himself like a noble child, and Teniris realized he wasn't the petty thief she had assumed.
"I don't even know who you are, little boy."
Teniris flicked his forehead as she spoke, much to the boy's irritation.
"How dare you! Everyone in the Empire knows who I am!" he huffed, rubbing his forehead.
"Sorry to disappoint you, little lord, but I'm not from the Empire. I'm from Aruin," Teniris replied with indifference.
"Aruin! Then you must be…"
Before the boy could finish his sentence, shouts interrupted them. The soldiers were coming into view.
Everyone could see the three figures emerging.
For the first time in her life, Teniris saw the famed heroes of Enya. In some ways, they resembled the war maidens of Aruin, but they emanated something different.
"Is that… *Donum*?" she whispered.