The Meeting.
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The great hall of the neutral castle chosen for the meeting was adorned with the banners of both Firseria and Springton, each symbol of power and pride fluttering gently in the breeze that slipped through the high windows.
The tension was palpable as King Reginald of Firseria and King Albert of Springton took their seats at the grand oak table, their advisors and guards standing alert behind them.
King Reginald, a tall man with a regal bearing and a stern face, spoke first. "Thank you, King Albert, for agreeing to this meeting. The years of conflict between our kingdoms have cost us dearly. I propose we end this bloodshed with a marriage truce. My son, Prince Theodore, will marry your daughter, Princess Alice."
King Albert, a stout man with a fiery temperament, leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "A marriage truce?" he scoffed. "Do you take me for a fool, Reginald? This is nothing more than a ploy to weaken my kingdom from within."
