The king rose slowly from his regal seat, his robe sweeping across the polished marble floor as he descended the steps to where Daemar stood. He placed a firm yet reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder, a silent gesture that urged him to rise to his feet. When Daemar obeyed, the king's voice rang out in the hall, warm yet commanding.
"Thank you, son. This gift is very great indeed. Tell me, how did you manage it?"
Daemar straightened himself and answered without hesitation, "Since we've previously discussed the mines of the kingdom, which you would like to acquire, I first stopped to try and form a treaty with them—something like a trade treaty. But the king was against it, so I took another path. I waged war against them. Taking the trained guards of the kingdom with me, it was surprisingly easy to take down Velmora, as they were overconfident and taught only basic security."
