A banquet hall large enough to host a party served as a dining room for the royal family. White columns with golden ornaments carved by famous artists, paintings on the walls and ceiling and even a parquet floor made of rare wood - this place could be considered a work of art. However, for the royal family, it was just one of many rooms in a vast palace. Anyone could tell from just one glance that the owners of this grand place, those who dined in silence, were blood related. All four had golden hair and, except for the blue-eyed queen, green eyes. Servants and guards waited quietly for their masters to give them a sign or finish dinner. A few chosen ones were pouring drinks into quickly emptied glasses.

The knock on the door echoed through the hall. When the massive white door opened, the air movement caused the candle's light to flutter. The vice-captain of the royal guards entered after receiving permission and approached the king, keeping a necessary distance.

"Your Majesty, I'm terribly sorry to disturb your dinner," The man paused for a moment, uncertain, then continued "but the head of the police department has sent a report."

The king cut a piece of steak in front of him, then said: "You may speak."

"General Rodrigo was found dead at his mansion. It seems like the perpetrators planned it ahead of time and, judging by the condition of the body, they had a deep hatred for the general."

"Of course, they had," the prince scoffed. "After all, everyone knows who brought these misfortunes upon us."

The king raised his hand, dismissing the vice-captain. Dinner continued as if nothing had happened. Cornelia glanced at her father. The man was eating meat, without even blinking an eye. In fact, he seemed pleased. 'I thought it was strange that the general walked away from the Draw mission unscathed. But father didn't punish him at the time, so people would have someone to blame.'

Her thoughts were interrupted when César spoke.

"I heard that Baroness Trua will be attending the next ball. Mother, I would appreciate it if you could help me and keep a company with her guardian."

Cornelia let out a sigh that wasn't left unnoticed. Much to her distress, her brother now gave her attention.

"We already met once at the opera. Lady Trua is a charming girl."

"All the more reasons to leave the poor girl alone," replied Cornelia. "Her life in the border region is already difficult enough."

Yet, as always, her words meant nothing to César. He snorted and took a sip from his glass, saying, "You speak as if I want to kill her, while I want to love her."

"I don't even know what's worse."

"Stop it, you two," the queen mother interrupted the children's bickering without even looking at them. She was focused on the meal in front of her, especially the glass with never-ending wine. "Can't we have a family dinner once in a while?"

The princess decided to follow her mother's example and focus on food. Once she finishes her meal she can leave. Her brother, however, didn't share her sentiment.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Speaking of the family," he said, "I think it's time for Cornelia to start her own family. I hear we've received a lot of proposals already. What about Earl Dagobert? He lives near the wall and is known for his ability to tame wild animals."

'As it wasn't enough for him to talk about his love life, he is now trying to drag me into it?' The princess bit her lip, preparing for another battle of words, but instead, the king spoke.

"Your sister isn't some petty noble girl. She's still young and it would be dangerous for her to have a child right now, and she needs a suitable partner with a good background. In fact, you should be the one to get married first and produce an heir to secure your position. César clenched the fork in his hand but didn't say anything else. The king ended the conversation with a final warning: "Don't forget that, at the end of the day, I will be the one to marry both of you off."

The dining hall went silent again. Then, both the prince and the princess muttered: "Yes, father."

Losing the last bit of appetite, Cornelia put away the cutlery.

"I'm done. Thank you for the meal and your time."

The princess barely got up from the table when the queen voiced her usual concern: "I hope next time you will wear something more appropriate."

Even though she could already predict the answer, Cornelia asked:

"Is the dress not to your liking, Mother?"

"Even peasants wear more accessories than you."

"What does a family dinner have to do with wearing jewels?"

The queen holding a glass in her hand gave a look of reproach to her daughter. Cornelia took this opportunity to escape the dining hall, but before she reached the door the king spoke: "Cornelia, don't embarrass your mother."

"I'll give it some thought, Your Majesty."

Finally, she was able to leave behind the suffocating atmosphere. The servants closed the doors behind her, and for a brief moment, she stood with eyes closed. When she opened them, the first thing Cornelia noticed was Vice-Captain. A man with a few grey hairs in his beard and a stern look in his dark brown eyes smiled at her. Princess smiled back.

"I thought you said there were no evening training sessions for me, Kroghan."

"And I still stand by my decision. Morning training is more than enough to keep Your Highness in good shape."

Cornelia tilted her head. didn't stay in the hallway to joke around.

"Is Rodrigo's family safe?" She wasn't particularly close to the general, but his brutal murder was still a sad and outrageous thing.

"Yes, fortunately, his wife and daughter were at the theatre when the attack happened."

"That's a relief. Can we spare some guards to keep them safe for now at least?"

"I will look into it," Kroghan said, bowing. His expression changed slightly. Lowering his voice, he added: "Unfortunately, the general's death is not the only problem we have to deal with."

Before Cornelia had the chance to ask him about another issue, the doors to the banquet hall opened. She didn't need to turn around to know who had left the room after her. César put his hand on his sister's shoulder and said:

"If we lived in a prosperous land, you would already be married by now. Your purpose and sole role is to strengthen the royal family by forming ties with a suitable ally. Just because you were given some freedom due to the harsh surroundings doesn't mean that you have become somewhat important"

He didn't bother to hold this small tirade somewhere away from guard's curious gazes, or at least lower his voice. The prince lifted his hand and glanced at the vice-captain. The man bowed, but César just walked away. Cornelia watched him leave without a word. Kroghan called her in a slightly worried voice:

"Your Highness."

"It's fine, it's fine. He didn't say anything new. I heard that his mistress had dumped him, so he's just venting his anger and frustration on me." Cornelia turned away from her brother and said, "Regarding the problem you were about to tell me, I will take a look."

"I will be in your debt, Your Highness."

"Don’t mention it. I am happy to help."