"But."
The king's single word, sharp and clear as a shattering crystal, cut through the murmurs and the very air of the courtyard. It was a sound so final, so unexpected, that for a heartbeat, the world seemed to stop on its axis.
The effect on the crowd was a study in frozen shock.
"..."
A glass shattered on the flagstones somewhere, the sound absurdly loud in the dead silence. Lady Anya, Bane's staunchest supporter, went pale. Other nobles looked genuinely shocked, some revealed rejoiced expressions, a few poorly pretended to be, and a handful of shrewd ones didn't react at all, their faces unreadable.
On the side, Prince Bane's serene mask solidified into something serious and hard. Only a faint tremor in his hand betrayed the seismic shift within.
"..."
