Minutes passed as the siblings gradually composed themselves, the weight of their tears lifting slightly. The hall, which had been filled with the murmurs of the guards, now fell silent as the king stepped forward. He knelt down to their level, his blue eyes gleaming in a way that seemed almost unnatural, ignoring the quiet, disapproving comments of his knights.
"You two have been through a lot," he said, his voice soft but deliberate. "But there is hope for you yet."
Kael blinked, wiping away the last of his tears, unsure of where the king was going with this. Mia, who still clung to her brother's arm, looked up at the king, her face streaked with tears, her eyes filled with confusion and exhaustion.
"Our mages," the king continued, "are some of the most powerful in the entire continent. Even the other kingdoms can't match our prowess in... certain fields of magic."
Kael's heart raced as the king's words settled over him. He didn't know much about magic, but he had heard stories—whispers of spells that could heal the gravest wounds, and even rumors of the impossible: magic that could bring the dead back to life.
"Resurrection magic," the king said slowly, letting the words hang in the air.
Mia's eyes widened, and she clutched Kael tighter, her gaze now fixed on the king with a newfound hope. Kael, too, felt something stir deep inside him—a flicker of belief. Could it be possible? Could their parents... really return?
"If you behave," the king said, his voice measured, "and do as you're told... we will bring your parents back."
The siblings exchanged a glance, their previously vengeful and determined expressions replaced with wide-eyed hope. Their tears had transformed into something else, a desperate desire to believe the king's promise. They nodded, the need for their parents outweighing any doubts or mistrust.
Kael was the first to speak, his voice shaky but filled with resolve. "What do we need to do?"
The king smiled, though it never reached his eyes. Inside, he felt a surge of satisfaction. How easy it was to sway them, to manipulate their fragile hearts with the promise of what they most desired. The death of their parents had served its purpose. Now, he had them exactly where he wanted.
Mia, her small voice trembling, also asked, "What do we need to do?"
The throne room fell into a tense silence. No one moved, no one spoke. The only sound was the distant crackle of magical energy from the knights' blades. Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he waited for the answer, his hands trembling as he held onto Mia.
The king's gaze intensified, his unnatural blue eyes glowing faintly. When he finally spoke, his words were laced with a cold, authoritative tone.
"You must train to become tools of our empire," he said, the weight of his command unmistakable. "Son of Eldenwood, you will undergo knight training. And as for the young miss," he said, turning to Mia with a gleam in his eyes, "you will become an apprentice to our most powerful mages."
The siblings remained frozen, processing what he had just said.
"You both must show good results," the king added, his voice now carrying a hint of menace beneath its royal polish. "If you want to see your parents again... you'll do exactly as you're told."
Kael clenched his fists, his mind spinning. His parents' faces flashed before him, the explosion of blood and viscera, their smiles fading into nothing. The rage he had buried deep inside stirred again, but now it was tangled with something else—hope, however fragile. For Mia, for their parents... he would do what it took.