A long silence followed then she answered.

"I want it to happen."

The answer came quietly. It was honest, without any calculation.

Atheline blinked in surprise.

Lilith continued staring at the city.

"I have wanted it to happen from the moment I saw you..."

Something about hearing that felt strangely significant and sweet.

Atheline smiled slightly.

"Then let’s do it."

She looked toward him.

"The war?"

"We’ll deal with it."

"The missing royal family?"

"We’ll find them."

"The mastermind?"

He shrugged.

"Eventually."

The queen stared then slowly shook her head.

"You make everything sound simple."

"It helps."

"It doesn’t."

"It helps me."

That earned a faint genuine smile. Atheline considered it worth it. He had noticed how low her mood was when talking about the coronation, he didn’t want her to be unhappy.

She seemed to be on the bridge about hosting it normally or postponing it entirely.

Her smile just confirmed it and for the first time in days, Atheline found himself looking toward the future rather than the crisis.

Toward the winter, when they would hatch the mysterious egg. Toward the ceremony. And toward the moment he would stand beside her before the entire empire.

Not as a guest, or a husband, or an outsider but as king in the kingdom. This was something he had never dreamt would become in his wildest dreams before her.

.

.

.

The High Elven Kingdom had not known peace since news of the assassination attempt arrived followed by the capture of the runaway prince.

Meetings followed meetings. Many nobles argued against each other, military commanders prepared reports and diplomats returned from foreign courts carrying increasingly unpleasant information.

And through it all, one fact remained impossible to ignore. Someone had attempted to assassinate the husband of the Dark Elf Queen.

Ordinarily, that would have been a foreign matter. A fight between species that they consider lower than themselves.

A dark elf problem.

A human problem.

Something the High Elven Kingdom could observe from a comfortable distance as they laughed at their stupidity.

Unfortunately, the husband in question happened to be the younger son of House Sunblade. And House Sunblade was not just any noble family.

For nearly a thousand years, the Lords of Sunblade had stood beside the High Elven throne as kings changed, dynasties shifted and councillors rose and fell.

But House Sunblade remained. Their influence was second only to the royal family itself. Many people even joked that the kingdom possessed two thrones.

One made of gold.

One made of loyalty.

The latter belonged to the Sunblades. Which was why the royal council chamber was unusually tense.

The king sat at the head of the room. To his right stood Solaris, the Crown Prince. To his left sat Lord Helmer, Atheline’s father.

Unlike most nobles present, the lord wasn’t speaking. He simply listened. Which somehow made everyone more tense and nervous.

The old high elf had served the king since they could remember. He had negotiated wars, ended rebellions, and built alliances. A very competent man.

Few people in the room possessed even a fraction of his political experience. When he remained silent, people paid attention.

A noble finally broke the quiet.

"We should avoid involvement."

Several others nodded right afterwards.

The king looked unimpressed.

The noble continued without noticing the slight shift.

"The Dark Elf kingdom is powerful enough to handle this matter independently."

It was a reasonable argument on paper.

Lord Helmer finally raised his eyes and the room immediately grew quieter. Not because he held formal authority over them but because everyone knew his opinion mattered.

The lord folded his hands.

"My son was targeted."

The statement was simple without any added emotions that would be expected, even a little bit of anger.

The noble hesitated.

"With all due respect, Lord, the assassination was directed by humans against the Dark Elf Queen’s husband."

Lord Helmer stared.

The noble visibly regretted speaking.

"Thats my son," the duke repeated.

Silence filled the room.

The king hid a smile behind his hand. The Crown Prince looked away entirely.

Everyone knew the lord loved his children. He simply expressed it through terrifying levels of overprotection and political influence.

Lord Helmer leaned back slightly and spoke, his voice firm and slightly colder than usual.

"For more than two hundred years I have served this kingdom."

Nobody interrupted.

"I have negotiated treaties."

"I have prevented wars."

"I have advised everyone of you seated here."

"I allowed my still young and developing child to be married to save the kingdom."

His voice remained calm and measured.

"And now someone attempts to murder my son and I am expected to pretend it has nothing to do with us?"

The chamber remained completely silent since nobody had the gall to respond.

The lord rarely used personal arguments and when he did, people generally stopped opposing him.

Solaris finally stepped forward.

"I recently returned from the Dark Elf kingdom."

Attention shifted toward him.

"The situation is worse than most of you realize."

Several nobles frowned.

The prince continued.

"The assassination is only part of the problem. The missing royal family and the attempted manipulation of treaties."

His gaze swept across the room.

"Someone is trying to force a larger conflict."

That immediately gained everyone’s attention. Solaris was not known for exaggeration.

The king nodded slowly.

"I agree."

The discussion resumed, more serious this time and less focused on avoiding responsibility. It was more focused on understanding consequences.

Hours passed. Arguments were made, concerns raised and possibilities explored.

Yet, the conclusion became unavoidable. Whether they liked it or not, the High Elven Kingdom was already involved.

Atheline’s marriage had ensured that. The attack merely made it obvious.

Eventually, the king stood.

The room quieted immediately.

His gaze moved across nobles, generals, and councillors alike.

"The Dark Elf kingdom has not requested aid."

Several people nodded since it was true. The queen had made no demands, ultimatums toward the high elves, or requests for soldiers.

The king continued.

"But our position must be clear."

The room listened carefully.

"The High Elven Kingdom will support the Dark Elf kingdom."

The words settled heavily.

The king raised a hand before anyone could interrupt.

"We are not declaring war. We are not mobilizing armies. We are not abandoning neutrality without cause."

A few nobles visibly relaxed.

Then the king finished.

"But neither will we abandon our allies."

His gaze shifted briefly toward Lord Helmer.

"And neither will we abandon our own."

The old lord finally smiled a small, barely noticeable smile. Yet both the Crown Prince and the king saw it.

And somehow that tiny expression confirmed the decision more than any royal decree ever could.