At the Royal Palace
The grand council chamber of Soleriath inner palace was quiet, yet heavy with presence.
The Duke of Ashcroft entered beneath the arching marble doorway, his steps crisp and deliberate, echoing off polished stone floors. Sunlight filtered through stained glass high above, casting jeweled patterns across the chamber's long central table.
He was not alone.
Four other nobles were already seated, Dukes of the Five Pillars, Soleriath's oldest and most powerful houses. Their expressions were shadowed with tension, voices low as they murmured among themselves. The last time they had all been summoned together without warning, a border crisis had nearly fractured the kingdom.
The fifth chair, the King's, remained empty for only a moment longer.
Then, King Lucien entered. He moved with a quiet authority that needed no announcement, his emerald cloak trailing behind him, a scroll clutched in one hand.
All rose. Then all sat.
The King did not delay.
"You are here because we have received a formal message from Emperor Grey," Lucien said, voice calm but edged. "They request permission to send a search party into Soleriath."
A stir ran through the chamber.
"They claim to have found new traces... signs that their lost daughter's trail leads to our lands."
The Duke of Ashcroft kept his face unreadable, though something coiled tightly within his chest.
The King looked to the five of them, gaze sharp and thoughtful. "This is no small thing. If the Greys are correct… and their heir is here, among our people, then her presence could shift the balance of every treaty we've held for fifty years."
Silence followed. Thick.
"What," the King asked, slowly unrolling the letter, "should we do?"
Meanwhile, at Ashcroft Manor
Back at the manor, the air had changed.
The warmth of breakfast had long faded, replaced by the slow-burning unease that came with waiting. Acacia sat curled in the window alcove, eyes distant. Dominic paced near the fireplace. Astor leaned against the far wall, arms folded.
"So…" Astor finally said, breaking the silence, "If this is about you… what happens next?"
Acacia looked up, her voice quiet but steady."Then I face it. I'm not hiding."
Dominic stopped pacing, turning toward her."We won't let you face anything alone. You know that, right?"
She gave him a light smile. "I do."
A silence settled again, until Acacia asked softly, "Do you think the King already knows?"
Dominic hesitated. "I don't think so… if he doesn't yet, he will soon."
Astor pushed off the wall. "We'll deal with that if it comes. For now, we wait."
They waited not just for word from the palace but for the moment when truth would finally demand its price.
And somewhere in the capital, beneath stained glass light and the weight of legacy, decisions were being made.
At the palace, the silence following King Lucien's question was not born of hesitation but of calculation.
Each Duke seated at the table represented a pillar of Soleriath's might, military, commerce, diplomacy, law, and tradition. Each understood the delicate consequences of what had just been laid before them.
Duke Walter adjusted his cuff, eyes narrowed. "Sire… permitting Valeriath's search party entry may honor our treaties but it risks undermining our sovereignty. What if they overstep? What if the political fallout is greater than any potential benefit? If the heir is already here, unknown to Valeriath, any delay or misstep could allow manipulation by them or others. Timing is critical.""
Duke Seymour leaned forward. "And what of the message itself? Valeriath claims to have new traces of their lost heir. If we deny them, we risk reigniting old tensions. Trade agreements, border alliances… everything we've built could be strained."
Duke Woods, guardian of tradition, stroked his beard. "We must remember precedent. Never before has Soleriath allowed a foreign search party to operate within our lands. The King's decision must preserve the integrity of our realm. This is not merely a question of one girl; it is the principle of Soleriath itself."
Duke Veltorin, tapped the table lightly. "And yet, if Valeriath's claims are accurate, this heir may already be in our country, unknown to them. The longer we delay, the more leverage they may attempt to wield. There may also be… risks we cannot yet perceive."
All eyes turned toward Duke Ashcroft. He shifted, fingers drumming lightly on the polished wood. His mind raced not with treaties or trade, but with Acacia. She was Chrysanthia Grey, the lost heir. The truth was no longer a secret; he knew her identity and he knew the peril that could come if it was revealed.
Could he tell the King? Would revealing her identity protect her or make her a pawn in an empire's game? If he spoke, it would upend every calculation in the room, and perhaps endanger her. Yet to remain silent was to gamble with the future of two empires.
Ashcroft exhaled slowly. "Sire…," he began, then stopped. He weighed his words carefully. "If we allow the search party… strict oversight is required. Every action must be reported, every step observed. This is not merely a formality, it is a matter of Soleriath's security and… well, prudence."
His statement skirted the truth, revealing nothing of the girl already within their borders. But even as he spoke, his conscience tugged at him. He knew that eventually, the King would need to know. The question was when, and if that day came or is already here, how to protect her, his family.
The other Dukes murmured among themselves, nodding cautiously. Debate swirled around treaties, military readiness, and diplomatic consequences, but Ashcroft's inner turmoil remained hidden beneath a mask of calm authority.
King Lucien's gaze swept across the chamber, sharp and discerning. "We will permit a discreet party from Valeriath," he said finally, voice steady. "They will operate under Soleriath oversight. Every action monitored. And… we will prepare for any eventuality."
The room held its breath, each Duke weighing the consequences. Outside the chamber, the city of Soleriath shimmered beneath the morning light, oblivious to the delicate balance maintained by whispered decisions and hidden truths.