The Soaring Dragon Kingdom delegation walked down the marble corridors of the imperial palace until boarding the mystical carriage that would take them back to their quarters in the capital. The night's silence was only broken by the rhythmic trotting of the celestial beasts and the distant hum of the city that never slept.
Inside the vehicle, King Alaric broke the silence with a low laugh as he poured wine into four mystical crystal goblets.
"Ethan, I must admit that when you ruined the banquet by killing Garth, I thought we would have to fight our way out of the capital through blood and fire," said Alaric the king, handing a glass to Ethan and another to Isabella. "But challenging Vorian and snatching the von Draconia heiress right under the Emperor's mandate... That was a masterstroke."
"It wasn't a play, Your Majesty," Ethan answered, holding his glass calmly while his other hand remained intertwined with Isabella's. "I simply did what had to be done."
