Royal Palace, Kingdom of Aethelgard
Maximus called an emergency meeting of the noble council in Aethelgard. The great hall, usually filled with chatter and laughter, is now heavy with unease. Every noble who entered carried the same expression: tight-lipped, cautious, and uncertain.
The nobles had been summoned early that morning; the urgency of the call made them feel nervous and anxious. By the time they arrived at the royal hall, word had already reached every corner of Aethelgard: there might be war with the Thalurian Empire.
The Thalurian Empire. The very name makes even the most seasoned warriors uneasy. The same empire that had bullied and humiliated Aethelgard for centuries, not out of need or vengeance, but out of arrogance. They were stronger, richer, and prouder, and they never let anyone forget it.
