Kael walked through the gates of the royal palace without looking back.
The grand white stone arches, the imperial coats of arms, the motionless sentinels—it all seemed smaller now. Distant. Like a backdrop that no longer concerned him. As soon as his feet touched the outer path, far from the walls that stifled the air with politics and pretension, he finally stopped.
And sighed.
A long sigh. Tired. Deep.
"Fuck you, this whole family…" he murmured, running a hand through his red hair, which now fell loosely down his back.
The light morning breeze touched his skin, carrying the scent of the city and something distant of freedom. Even so, the weight wouldn't go away. Not completely.
"That's exactly why I didn't want to be here," he continued, his voice low but heavy with frustration. "An entire empire of people who think the world is a chessboard… and people are disposable pieces."
