King Varric's study was a grand, imposing chamber. The walls were lined with ancient tomes, maps of distant lands, and the endless paperwork of a kingdom that never rested. The faint scent of parchment and candle wax lingered in the air, a quiet reminder of the decisions that shaped Eldorath within these walls. Shelves groaned under the weight of treaties, trade agreements, and letters from foreign dignitaries. In the far corner stood an ornate suit of armor, a relic from the King's youth—a symbol that even rulers must be prepared for war.Seated behind a heavy oak desk, King Varric furrowed his brow as he scanned the day's agenda. Sunlight filtered through tall windows, casting a warm glow over the room, though it did little to ease the tension in his eyes. He sighed deeply, stretching to relieve the stiffness from hours spent hunched over.At his side stood Lord Vaelor Crawley, Commander of the Honor Guard. The sixty-year-old veteran bore every scar like a badge of honor, his face framed by a thick gray beard. His gold-plated armor gleamed beneath the black robes of his office, the sigil of an eagle on his pauldron marking him as one of the kingdom's elite protectors.Around the room, other members of the Honor Guard stood at ease. Sir Luther, red-haired and blue-eyed, gazed out the window, his lion-sigil pauldron catching the sunlight against his red robes. Dame Selina, her brunette hair tied into a neat bun, stood beside him, her blue eyes fixed on the courtyard below. The unicorn sigil of her order, the Silver Horn, gleamed on her left pauldron.By the hearth, Mage Malachi sat quietly, his glowing yellow eyes locked on the chessboard before him. His opponent, Sir Bill—a knight with streaks of gray in his hair and the red cross of the Crimson Shield on his pauldron—groaned in frustration, hand to his chin as he made his move.The soft clink of chess pieces, the shuffle of armor, and the rustle of papers created a steady rhythm in the room.King Varric looked up from his desk, his attention drawn to Luther and Selina by the window. "What are you two so interested in?" he asked, a note of exasperation in his voice.Selina turned with a soft smile. "Her Highness, Sir Aedric, and Lady Seraphina, Your Majesty," she replied. "It seems the Princess is quite fond of the knight."Luther chuckled. "Funny, I always thought Aedric could barely tolerate her. All that teasing and fussing."The King raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "I assumed the knight was simply dutiful, as he should be."Selina's smile grew. "Dutiful, yes. But fondness, Your Majesty, is harder to hide."Varric smirked but soon returned to his stack of papers. He trusted Aedric—brave, loyal, and steadfast—but the idea that his daughter might view the knight as more than a protector was one that had never crossed his mind. Drumming his fingers on the desk, he pondered the implications before refocusing on his tasks.Across the room, Malachi slid a chess piece across the board. "Checkmate," he said with quiet satisfaction.Sir Bill groaned. "Damn stag knights... always too clever."Malachi chuckled. "Perhaps your mind is elsewhere, old friend."Before more words could be exchanged, Lord Vaelor's gaze flicked to the door. His voice, low and sharp, cut through the room. "Someone's coming, sire."The King straightened in his chair as the door swung open, and Queen Catelyn strode into the room. The Honor Guards immediately stood at attention."At ease," the Queen commanded, her voice steady but urgent. She turned to Varric. "Do you have a moment?"The King leaned back, a wry smile on his face. "For you? Always. What is it?""It's about the Nebune region—the Dark Elves," Catelyn said, her tone filled with concern.The room grew still, the tension palpable as the Honor Guards exchanged glances.Varric's brow furrowed. "Have the orcs attacked again?""No," Catelyn shook her head. "But I fear the elves have turned on their human civilians. I've heard troubling reports from the orphanage—children fleeing from Nebune with stories of violence. Mr. Stevens brought it to my attention."Varric stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Has the military reported anything unusual from Nebune?" he asked, turning to Vaelor."No, sire," Vaelor replied. "There's been no indication of unrest. Our intelligence network is vast—if there were uprisings, we would know.""But the children," Catelyn began, only for Varric to raise his hand."Children," he said firmly. "They could be mistaken, or perhaps Stevens is exaggerating, hoping to secure more funding. There's too much uncertainty."Catelyn sighed in frustration. "Not everything is about money, Varric. I'm not asking for a full deployment—just send someone to verify the claims."Varric considered her words. "If this backfires, we risk sparking an incident. I won't act rashly.""But ignoring it could lead to far worse. How can we call ourselves the capital of freedom if we won't investigate?"Varric let out a long breath, turning to his Honor Guard. "What say you?"Sir Luther spoke first. "With respect, sire, I think it's nonsense. We've seen travelers from Nebune pass through—none have mentioned this."Dame Selina shot him a look. "Absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. I say we send a small team. Children may lie, but not all of them would share the same story.""I agree," Sir Bill added. "My order helped rebuild Nebune after the orc insurgency. We found nothing amiss then, but much can change in a few years."All eyes turned to Mage Malachi, who had been silent, his hands clasped as if in prayer. Finally, he spoke. "Nebune is a place of subtle darkness. Something there is... wounded. It's unclear what, but we should proceed with caution. Still, an investigation is warranted."The King's face hardened as he processed their words. "Vaelor, alert the Knight Commanders. I don't want this to escalate to military action, but it must be on their radar. Prepare a diplomatic envoy to Nebune. We'll get to the bottom of this."Vaelor nodded. "At once, sire."Catelyn squeezed Varric's hand. "Thank you."Varric forced a smile. "Let's hope it's just a misunderstanding. Now, how about that lunch?"In the Castle Courtyard, with a fountain bubbling at its center, Princess Elara lay on the grass, staring up at the clouds in silence. Nearby, Aedric and Seraphina watched her from the edge of the fountain, both quietly amused and concerned."Twenty minutes," Aedric remarked softly, crossing his arms. "That's a record of silence for her."Seraphina chuckled, leaning back slightly. "I'd be worried if I didn't already have a guess." She tilted her head toward Elara, a knowing glint in her eyes.Aedric raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at Seraphina. "Guess? I thought it might be the flu."Seraphina shook her head, laughing lightly. "Flu? Please. She hasn't been sick since she was five. No, this is something... different.""Different?" Aedric repeated, half-joking, half-curious. "What, you think she's... in love or something?"Seraphina smirked, her tone teasing. "Now you're catching on. Broken heart, if I had to guess."Aedric nearly choked. "What?" He coughed, trying to regain his composure as Seraphina patted his back with mock sympathy."Are you alright?" Seraphina asked, barely containing her laughter."Yeah," Aedric rasped, clearing his throat. "Just—wrong pipe, that's all."Seraphina grinned. "Sure, sure. Anyway, I was saying—Princess Elara had a bit of a thing for a certain Baron Thorne back in the day."Aedric blinked in surprise. "Baron Thorne? As in Garrick Thorne?""The very same," Seraphina confirmed, folding her arms. "Before you showed up, back when you were still squiring under Ser Ironclaw, they were... close."Aedric scratched his head. "Baron Thorne... makes sense, I suppose. Good family, well-connected, even a small naval force. He's respected by the generals too. If he'd become a knight, he'd be fast-tracked to the Honor Guard." He trailed off, frowning slightly. "But then why didn't it work out?"Seraphina sighed, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. "Aedric, not everything is about military strategy and influence."Aedric shrugged. "I didn't say that.""You were thinking it," Seraphina shot back, smirking as she lightly tapped his cheek. "You Knights of the Golden Mane are all the same—too practical for your own good."Aedric grinned, rubbing his cheek where she had tapped. "And what's wrong with being practical?""Nothing, unless you think love is a battlefield," Seraphina teased. She let her hand fall back to her side, her tone softening. "Sometimes... things just don't work out, no matter how perfect they seem on paper."Aedric nodded, glancing over at the Princess again. "Maybe. But I doubt that's why she's moping now. Could be her lessons. She's been... absent-minded lately. That, or Granny Ann finally broke her with all the royal duties."Seraphina snorted. "Granny Ann's relentless. I'm surprised Elara hasn't started sneaking out just to avoid her.""Maybe she has," Aedric quipped, the corner of his mouth twitching in a faint smile. "Anyway, you think she'll be alright?"Seraphina glanced at Elara, her expression softening. "She's stronger than she lets on. She'll be fine... eventually."Aedric nodded, then checked the sun's position in the sky. "Thirty minutes of silence now," he murmured.Seraphina smiled. "Let her have it. Everyone needs to escape sometimes."