"Your Highness," Meriveth said warmly, too warmly. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. We know your schedule must be demanding."
"Sit," Elara said, taking her own seat at the head of the table. Ken positioned himself behind her right shoulder, silent and watchful. "What requires discussion?"
Meriveth settled back into his chair with the ease of someone who spent half his life in these rooms. "Several matters, Your Highness. First, the eastern trade treaty negotiations—"
For twenty minutes, they discussed trade routes and tariff adjustments. Standard policy debate. Elara participated minimally, letting them work through the details while she conserved energy. Her head throbbed steadily now, a dull ache that made concentration slightly harder than it should be.
She was rubbing her temple without realizing it when Hasting pivoted topics.
