Silence settled over the chamber after Darian finished speaking. Neither Valttair nor Elenara responded immediately, the two rulers studying him with quiet attention as if measuring something that had not been visible a moment earlier.
The reports they had received about Darian du Thal'zar had never been particularly impressive. According to the records gathered over the years, he had not distinguished himself among his siblings, with no notable achievements and no remarkable talent for leadership.
Merely another heir among many.
And yet the man standing before them now did not quite match that description. Darian had stepped forward without hesitation, spoken clearly, and more importantly, spoken with an understanding of the situation that many heirs in his position would have struggled to accept.
