The eastern provinces stretched wide under a crisp autumn sky, their rolling hills dotted with silver-leafed forests and bustling trade towns. The journey from the capital had taken three days by royal caravan, but Seren had insisted on making the trip. Elowen had officially been granted greater authority over the east, and the first test of that power was already causing ripples. Seren wanted to see it for herself, not through reports, but through her own eyes and enhanced senses.
They arrived at the regional seat of Eastwatch Keep as the sun dipped low, painting the stone walls in hues of gold and crimson. Elowen rode at the head of the column, her silver-rose banners fluttering proudly. She had moved with ruthless efficiency in the weeks since her appointment: trade routes had been cleared of bandit remnants, tariffs streamlined, and several corrupt local officials replaced. But her methods had been sharp; some said brutal, leaving local houses uneasy and whispering of overreach.
