With his shiny boots clicking loudly on the polished marble floor, Duke Selen Threx hurried toward the guest room in the grand halls of Threx Manor in the Zarethune Kingdom.
Selen's face was stormy, his jaw tight, his green eyes flashing with barely held-back annoyance. He reached the heavy oak door of the guest room and pushed it open with a force that showed his mood.
Inside, a woman sat serenely, her posture as elegant as a queen's, her delicate fingers holding a cup of tea. Behind her were two Caulem soldiers.
After glancing at her and observing her quiet confidence, Selen sat down in the padded chair across from her and awkwardly extended his hand. "Duke Selen Threx, lord of this land," he said in a brief, formal, but irritated tone.
The woman shook his hand smoothly and smiled warmly, relieving tension. She answered calmly, unfazed by his obvious annoyance, "Mirenya, Caulem Envoy to the Zarethune Kingdom."
