CHAPTER 101
The hall was filled with the warm hum of voices as the council, nobles, and court gathered. The long table had been cleared, banners drawn across the walls, and guards stood in precise lines. A sense of expectation lingered in the air. Word had gone around that the King had something to declare, and speculation had spread like wildfire.
Grace walked in slowly, her steps deliberate. Her crown caught the light as she moved to the head of the table. Eyes followed her, loyal commanders, suspicious elders, the queens, and lords who rarely agreed on anything, now sitting in unison, waiting.
She sat for a moment, her fingers resting on the carved arm of the chair. Silence rippled through the chamber until not even a whisper remained.
"Today," Grace began, her voice steady and even, "I have called you here not to speak of war, nor to dwell on disputes. But to tell you of something that concerns our future, and the very life of this kingdom."
