VLADIMIR
Earlier that day...
Tristan's inquiry hung in the air like a weighty secret. I sighed, my gaze still fixed on the documents scattered across my desk. The morning light filtered through the tall windows of my study, casting long shadows on the polished wood floor. It was the kind of day that promised challenges—the kind of day I had grown accustomed to in my role as king.
The truth was, I hadn't informed Taylor about the impending council meeting. It was a deliberate omission on my part, a decision made with the hope of sparing her further worry and distress. Her return to the castle had already stirred up enough turmoil, and I was determined to shield her from the relentless scrutiny of the chancellors for as long as possible.
"Tristan, you know as well as I do that involving
