King Gerold of Vorgaria, ruler of the nine kingdoms, sat upon his throne, his piercing gaze surveying the gathering of lords and generals before him. The grandeur of the throne hall, with its high ceilings and stained glass windows, seemed to shrink beneath the weight of his ambition.

"My lords, generals," King Gerold began, his deep voice commanding attention. "We have been at war with Calonia for three years now. Three years of bloodshed, of sacrifice, and also of defeats. that kingdom remains the one thorn in our side, the one realm that refuses to bow to our greatness."

The lords and generals murmured in agreement, their faces twisted in disgust and anger .

Prince Alaric, the only child of king Gerold and heir apparent to the throne sat right next to his father, listening intently, his eyes fixed on the maps spread out before them.

One of the generals stand up and address the king. "We have tried siege and battle, try everything we know ,But Calonia's defenses is still strong, not even a dent has been made on the walls surrounding the kingdom .the people are fiercely loyal to their king and all the spies we had sent there has never return alive. I think It is time for a new strategy, one that will finally bring them to heel."

The room fell silent, the only sound the soft rustling of parchment and the creaking of leather armor. King Gerold's gaze swept the room, his eyes lingering on each face before coming to rest on his son.

After a few silent minutes, one of the lords stood up and coughed slightly gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

Seeing who it was the king raised his eyebrows and asked, "lord Kazamir is there anything you'll like to say?"

Lord kazamir bowed his head slightly and rubbed his pot belly. "My king, my lords, I understand our desire to claim Calonia, to bring it under our rule. But perhaps we should reconsider our approach."

The room erupted into a chorus of gasps and murmurs, with some of the lords and generals exchanging skeptical glances. They know lord kazamir is a dubious and greedy man and he would never give anything except he's benefiting from it.

Lord kazamir rubbed his belly once more before he continued, " Calonia is a powerful kingdom, with strong defenses and a proud people. We've already lost many good men and women in this war. Maybe it's time we tried a different approach."

King Gerold narrowed his eyes, "What are you suggesting, lord kazamir?"

Lord kazamir moved away from where he was sitting and moved closer to the king, "I'm suggesting we try diplomacy, my king. We've heard rumors of Calonia's princess and their prince .... perhaps we could use marriage as an opportunity to forge a peace treaty, rather than trying to conquer them through force."

The room fell silent once more, with all eyes fixed on lord kazamir. It was a bold suggestion, one that went against the grain of Vorgaria's military traditions. But lord kazamir's words were not without merit, and many of the lords and generals couldn't help but wonder... maybe this is the key to end the war.

Majority of the lords and generals nodded their head in agreement, "It's a clever plan," one of the lords whispered. "We could save countless lives and resources by negotiating a peace treaty."

Others shook their heads, their expressions skeptical. "We can't show weakness now," another general argued. "We've come too far in this war. If we relent, Calonia will think they have the upper hand."

A group of generals clustered near the window, their voices rising as they debated over Lord Kazamir's plan. "But think of the strategic advantage," one of them said. "If we can secure a peace treaty, we can focus on strengthening our borders and expanding our trade routes."

Another general snorted. "You're thinking like a merchant, not a warrior. We can't let Calonia get the better of us. We must crush them, once and for all."

King Gerold's deep voice boomed through the throne room, silencing the murmurs and debates. "Enough!" he commanded, his gaze sweeping the room. "We will not be swayed by emotions or opinions. We will make a decision, and it will be final."

The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the king. King Gerold's narrowed his gaze, his attention focusing on Lord Kazamir. "You propose that we use marriage as a means to secure a peace treaty with Calonia," he said, his voice dripping with skepticism. "Tell me, Lord Kazamir... who is going to volunteer their son or daughter to marry the enemy?"

The throne room grew silence as the question hung heavy in the air, Lord Kazamir's face broke into a calculating smile as he replied, "Your Majesty, I propose that we allow you to choose a suitable candidate from among the children of our noble lords and generals. My own children, if need be, are not exempt from this duty."

He paused, surveying the room with an air of confidence. "The chosen family should consider it an honor to serve the realm in this way. After all, their child will be instrumental in bringing peace to our war-torn lands."

The room fell silent once more, as the weight of Lord Kazamir's words sank in. The lords and generals exchanged uneasy glances, their minds racing with the implications of Kazamir's proposal. Nobody was willing to sacrifice their children for the kingdom. King Gerold's expression remained unreadable, but a glimmer of interest sparked in his eyes.

After a few minutes of silence, king Gerold nodded his head in agreement, "Very well, Lord Kazamir. I will take your proposal into consideration. Lords and generals, you are dismissed. I wish to take some time to think on this matter, and I will call upon you once I have made my decision."

The lords and generals bowed their heads in unison, their voices murmuring in respect. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

As they backed away from the throne, they turned to Prince Alaric, bowing their heads once more. "Prince Alaric."

Prince Alaric nodded graciously, his eyes scanning the room as the lords and generals departed. The sound of rustling fabric and clinking armor filled the air as they made their way out of the throne hall, each returning to their respective houses to await the king's decision.

The throne hall grew quiet once more, the only sound the soft creaking of the wooden beams and the distant clang of swords from the training grounds outside. King Gerold sat on his throne, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance, his mind weighing the pros and cons of Lord Kazamir's proposal.