"They're not going to let this be," Valerie said, his voice taut with frustration as he and his mother, Queen Maeve, walked purposefully down the corridor.
"They can throw a tantrum all they like," Maeve replied with unshaken confidence. Her steps were brisk, each one echoing through the stone halls with the authority of someone who knew she held power. "But everyone knows who truly holds control now."
As they approached the guarded entrance to the underground bunker where King Oberon was being kept, the elite guards stationed at the doorway lowered their heads in silent greeting. These men, fiercely loyal to the crown, were the most capable Astaria had to offer. With a single nod, Valerie and Maeve acknowledged them, their presence both commanding and unquestionable.
