The silence that fell over the private imperial council chamber after Prince Gillian's sudden proposal was heavy enough to suffocate. The parchment bearing the Solaric Emperor's crest rested in the center of the table like a declaration of war, threatening to completely overturn the fragile balance of power within Auzelian.
King Alderon did not move an inch, his expression remaining perfectly dignified and impossible to read. Yet his fingers curled ever so slightly against the carved armrests, the only visible crack in his composure.
"A marriage alliance," Duke Harrison spoke up first, breaking the heavy silence. He leaned forward, his sharp eyes darting from the sealed document to the Solaric prince. "A bold proposition, Prince Gillian. But a treaty of this magnitude already ensures economic and territorial stability. Forcing a blood bond feels less like an act of mutual peace and more like an attempt to tether the sovereignty of our kingdom directly to the Solaric crown."
