The next day that followed was nothing short of chaos in the land of Austerra.
It wasn't just the Dukes, but the other noble families as well. Their children had been included in the King's sudden execution order, and now outrage simmered across the noble districts.
And as if expecting this retaliation, the King, along with the Soulfang household, moved swiftly. It was the perfect excuse to cull their greatest rivals before any real resistance could spark.
"Your Majesty! The Katana household and its allied families are on the move, openly preparing to defy your will," declared Jeron, Grand Duke of the Soulfang household, and uncle to Prince Auborn.
Behind him stood an assembly of powerful families, the Duke of Eyesong, the Baron of the Fotlon family, and a host of ten others. These families were famous for their mastery over magic, long regarded as the natural counterbalance to the military-driven knight houses to which Princess Austaire belonged.
