Scene: Blackwood Empire – 7 Months Later
POV: Omniscient (Global Overview – Multiple Angles)
The world had moved on.
But the Empire hadn't.
For seven months, the King remained in his silent slumber — eyes shut, body stable, spirit unreachable.
And yet, the throne was not vacant.
Amara Blackwood ruled.
And she ruled with precision.
With mercy when earned, and terror when forced. Every step she took echoed with the memory of a man no one dared declare dead.
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Within the Capital:
Streets bore portraits of the royal couple—Chris Blackwood, serene and proud, frozen in time beside Amara, stern-eyed and blazing.
A new holiday, "The Day of the Silent King," was declared and enforced quarterly—a moment of reflection where the people were required to pause, remember, and honor the King's battle for life.
On those days, not a soul spoke.
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The Council Chambers:
Classic Blackwood now sat as Acting Chancellor, matured under pressure. He had become more than a prince—he had become a symbol of poised fire.
Some said he was too young.
Some whispered he was a better balance between Chris and Amara—fierce when needed, diplomatic when cornered.
But he always deferred to one truth:
> "The King still breathes. My father's shadow is not one I walk out of. I walk with it."
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The Military:
General Soren Vask oversaw the most loyal force on the continent—B.A.M.—who now numbered over seven million.
They patrolled with discipline. They enforced peace with eyes that carried Chris's legacy and Amara's orders.
Some rebel groups rose in the east.
None lasted a week.
---
Amara Blackwood:
She never missed a war briefing.
She never accepted titles like Empress or Sovereign Queen.
When foreign leaders referred to her as the ruler of Blackwood, she corrected them:
> "I am the Regent. My husband is still King."
She visited him every night.
Sometimes she read reports aloud.
Sometimes she just sat in silence.
And sometimes…
She whispered things no one else could hear.
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But cracks had begun to form.
People feared. But they also wondered.
Some said the King would never wake.
Others believed he was already dead, and Amara was hiding it.
Whispers grew.
And on the first day of the 8th month, a strange message appeared across all classified B.A.M. comm channels and private royal frequencies.
A simple phrase.
> "The lion breathes."
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