The Vandelusian ambassador strolled into the Great Hall flanked by two men walking stiffly on either side of him. Most people took a second to look around the Hall when they entered for the first time. Though the tallest room in the palace, the Hall had no balconies other than tiny platforms on which archers perched. Coloured glass turned the grey floor into a riot of shades and hues which often clashed with the courtiers who invariably showed up whenever Marriette received someone in the Hall.
The ambassador may have smiled slightly, much like a parent admiring their child's work. Marshal stood behind her. The slightest rustle of fabric suggested he made some adjustment to his stance in response to the ambassador's sword. The man held his hands carefully well away from the hilt, and the
