Daylight streamed through the tall windows lining the meeting room, illuminating the tense faces of gathered nobles.
In the room's grand, opulent setting, they exchanged glances and discussed the kingdom's increasingly precarious state, their voices low yet brimming with tension.
From their conversations, it was clear that the Kingdom of Velornia was in a vulnerable position.
"The northern territories continue to be attacked. Our forces are stretched thin up there," declared Duke Faldren, a large, heavy-voiced man. "If things keep going this way, we'll lose control."
Countess Merida, a woman known for her cunning yet undeniable influence, sighed and shook her head. "Velornia has relied too long on promises of safety. Sooner or later, we'll exhaust our resources, and our enemies are growing bolder."
Some nobles nodded in agreement, though none offered concrete solutions. Uncertainty was plain on their faces.
In the corner, Lady Isolde sat quietly, listening and observing the faces around her with a keen, calculating gaze.
She was fully aware that her once-powerful family's position was becoming ever more compromised.
"Without strong leadership, we'll be torn apart," continued Countess Merida with a tone of concern. "If Velornia doesn't act soon, our enemies will smell weakness and exploit it."
"But how much must we sacrifice?" interjected Lord Gerar, a younger noble with a different outlook. "We can't keep sacrificing our people just to satisfy military ambitions."
At that moment, the grand doors of the meeting room swung open, and all conversation ceased.
Veren Kaelis, the kingdom's Commander-General, stepped inside.
His tall, commanding figure drew every gaze. With an unreadable expression, he cast a cool look around the room, silencing the once-intense murmurs.
Serenely, he took his seat at the head table, surveying the nobles one by one with a gaze that revealed little.
Isolde discreetly studied Veren's face, trying to decipher the intent behind his calm and commanding presence.
Veren Kaelis, his black hair neatly swept back save for a few loose strands that added an almost casual intensity, looked at them with unshakable, cool blue-gray eyes. The depths of those eyes seemed to conceal both power and mystery beneath his impassive exterior. They radiated a calm authority—and a threat—that suggested he was accustomed to controlling everything around him, through either fear or strength.
After a pause, Duke Faldren broke the silence. "Commander Kaelis, what is your opinion on this matter? We believe the kingdom's tension is spiraling out of control. Our enemies grow stronger outside our walls, and without clear direction… we may lose everything."
Veren nodded, then spoke in a voice deep and commanding. "If this kingdom wants to survive, we must act with unwavering force. Those who undermine the kingdom's strength understand only one language: military might. If we waver, we're inviting disaster."
"But," interrupted Lord Gerar again, this time boldly, "can the military might alone truly unite the kingdom? History has shown that forced rule only leads to division."
Veren's cold gaze fixed on Lord Gerar, unblinking, his lips curving into a faint smile.
"Doubt is weakness, and weakness is an opening for our enemies. Velornia needs a strong, decisive leader willing to do whatever it takes to maintain stability—not one afraid to sacrifice a few to save the many."
The nobles nodded, some appearing captivated, others visibly uneasy.
Isolde watched how Veren's words swayed some of the nobles, even those usually defiant. She began to grasp how carefully Veren wielded his influence, how he used his words to create a dependency on military strength.
As the meeting concluded, Isolde turned to leave, but Veren's voice stopped her.
"Lady Isolde," he called out in a calm but purposeful tone, "you seem somewhat at odds with the direction I've proposed for the kingdom."
Isolde turned to face him, striving to mask her unease behind a graceful composure.
"I do not oppose, Commander Kaelis. I simply believe the kingdom's security must also consider the welfare of our people."
Veren's thin smile didn't waver. "The welfare of the people is precisely why this kingdom needs strong control, Lady Isolde. A kingdom cannot endure if its leaders are hesitant to act. This world offers no space for mercy."
Isolde worked to keep her calm, even as she sensed something ominous in Veren's tone.
"When it comes to politics, Commander, I hope you don't doubt my family's long standing loyalty to this kingdom."
"Of course, Lady Isolde," Veren replied with a slight nod. "Yet, loyalty alone may not be enough to weather the political storm we face. Your family's position is… vulnerable, especially in times like these. Sometimes, an extra measure of strength is necessary."
Isolde met his gaze coolly, recognizing the veiled threat in his words. "The Laedoris family has weathered many storms without additional protection, Commander Kaelis. We know what must be done."
Veren's gaze sharpened, his smile never faltering. "Certainly. But do take care, Lady Isolde," he whispered slowly, in a tone unmistakably edged with menace. "This kingdom is not always kind to those who insist on walking alone."
Isolde restrained herself from further argument. She knew this was neither the place nor time.
But she couldn't shake the chill running down her spine as she took in Veren's expression—a silent declaration that she was now part of a game she had never wanted.
-ooOoo-
After the tense meeting, Isolde quickly made her way down the palace corridor, seeking distance from Veren's sharp gaze and pointed words. Bright daylight filled the grand hallways, but to Isolde, the atmosphere felt increasingly dark.
She felt a pressure in her chest, something she had never felt before—a fear that engulfed her, as though she were being hunted by an unseen presence, one always there, hovering close.
Isolde paused by a large window overlooking the palace garden, staring outside with a storm of thoughts. Her family had once been at the pinnacle of Velornia's power, respected and revered. But since her father's passing, their strength had slowly waned, and the threats from various noble factions had grown ever closer.
And now, there was Veren Kaelis—a figure who posed a threat not just to her family and position but somehow, personally, to her as well.
"He's not just a political enemy," Isolde murmured softly to herself, her voice laced with a fear she tried to suppress. "He's a far greater threat… a predator, and I'm his target."
Isolde knew she had to tread carefully. She understood that openly challenging Veren was not a wise option, but she also couldn't let herself remain under his shadow indefinitely
Yet the more she tried to evade Veren's presence, the clearer it became that he would not give her the option to escape.
-ooOoo-